Felon
by Rockleerox93
Summary: Lee has just been put away for attempted murder. If he can serve the 90 day time limit on good behavior, he will be let go. Is it even possible now seeing as he shares a cell with the jails most dangerous prisoner Gaara Sabaku? Angst/Drama
1. Prelude by the Boyue

**Man Killed 8 At Ex-Wife's Birthday Party  
**  
Rock Lee stared at the paper's headline in disgust. He glanced at the article for the important details, checking for the people who were murdered. Two children were killed among the eight victims. Lee lost his appetite for breakfast. He folded the paper and pushed it aside. He focused on his breakfast. He stared at the bowl of white milk and floating corn flakes. Normally, Lee would finish his cereal in one gulp as he was a firm believer that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. But after reading the news article, Lee was finding it hard to even swallow. He clanged his spoon against the ceramic bowl. He thought about the two children that were hurt. What had they done to deserve death at such young age? The part that sickened him the most was the perpetrator was still at large. Lee dropped his spoon into the bowl. A few drops of milk escaped to the table surface. He was disappointed at the lack of action from the police. He sulked and thought about what a horrible world they lived in. Murders, robbery, rapes, violence were all right around the corner. He wouldn't get anywhere without knowing that a crime was being committed.

His cousin, Tenten, strolled out from her bedroom. She tied her hair as she sat down opposite of Lee. She glanced at the newspapers, not really taking an interest in it. She eyed the cereal box and Lee caught the hint to push it over to her. Tenten finished up with her hair and poured herself a bowl to eat quickly. Thanks to her, they were running five minutes later for school. If Lee weren't a gentleman, he would've left Tenten behind and headed for school already. He checked his backpack absent-mindedly, making sure that he had remembered to put his books and homework back in. Tenten crunched down on the sugar flakes like she was crushing glass. She chugged her glass of orange juice. Lee watched her eat with amusement. She could break a world record with that speed.

"Done!" Tenten shouted. She wiped her mouth roughly with a napkin and threw the crumpled ball into the trashcan on her way to grab her backpack. "Let's go, let's go! What are you waiting for, Lee?"

"Yosh!" Lee swung on his backpack and opened the door for Tenten. "After you."

Luckily, they lived relatively close to the school that if they hurried, they could make it on time and not get the nasty tardy slip. They walked alongside each other with Tenten doing most of the talking. She told Lee a little more about her attempt to start a girl wrestling team, but the coaches were all 'sexist pigs' and didn't think girls should be wrestling. The football coach actually told Tenten to buy make-up with the other girls and leave the real sports to the boys. Tenten had to resist kicking him in the crotch. Lee, himself, was on the soccer and baseball team. He didn't like to boast but he was actually the star of both teams. He was the forward of the soccer team and the best batter on the baseball team. His coaches adored him and he was pretty sure that college scouts were present at his games. He didn't think too much about it; he loved playing sports and if it would get him a scholarship to the top colleges, it wouldn't hurt. Not that Lee needed help getting into the best colleges. He was fifth in his class and had done excellent on his standardized exams. He would be the first to admit that he wasn't a genius like his classmates, Nara Shikamaru and Uchiha Sasuke. What Lee lacked in the nature department, he made it up in sheer effort. No one would know, except maybe Tenten, how many hours Lee put into studying. How many hours of unwatched television and unplayed video games in exchange for an A+ on a test. His good grades didn't drop out from the sky; he worked very hard for them and he was very proud of himself. He might not be a genius of intelligence, but he was definitely a genius of hard work.

They walked through the school gate. Tenten said good-bye and headed for her locker. Lee checked the time; he had a few minutes to spare. He hurried down the hall, saying a good morning to everyone he knew along the way. He turned the corner and saw the person he was looking for. Sakura was as lovely as she always was. In fact, Lee could never recall a second during which Sakura was not a beautiful goddess surrounded by the halo of the sun. He sucked at writing poems, but when Sakura was around him, poetry spilled out of his mouth. She was looking over her math book, probably for a pop quiz. Sakura was second in the class; a status she earned through perseverance and innate brilliance. She had the look and the brain. Lee still wondered how he managed to secure the post as her boyfriend. Did he mention that she was the most popular girl in school? Well, she was, had always been, and always would be. Lee was probably in the middle of the popularity spectrum, not exactly her level of caliber. Sakura was the person who single-handedly organized a walk-out against one Hatake Kakashi. If the teacher wasn't going to be on time, why should the students? Lee admired her greatly for her conviction and her cause. He participated in a community service every now and then, but he was no saint.

Sakura glanced up from her book. She closed it and smiled at him. "Hey you," she said, standing up to give him a soft kiss on the lips. Her lips always tasted like cherry. It was addicting. She circled her arms around Lee's waist, pulling him closer. She nuzzled against his neck. "Are we still on this weekend?"

"Of course!" It was their one-month anniversary. Lee was planning a very pleasant surprise for her. Sakura was the first girlfriend he had ever had and he wanted to make a lasting impression on her. She had gone on a lot of dates and Lee had to outdo them all. He was planning a romantic home-cook candle-lit dinner. He wasn't the best chef in the world but he had been told that his cooking was heavenly. He had also been taking guitar lesson on his spare time to play her a song. Well, part of a song, he had only gotten a few meters down. Music wasn't his forte. There were just some things that he had absolutely no potential. "Get excited," he told Sakura, "it will be the best weekend of your life!"

"I can't wait," Sakura said with a wide smile. She planted another kiss on Lee's lips just as the bell rang. "See you in four hours." Lee helped her grab her bag off the floor and walked her to her class. They had another quick kiss good-bye before Sakura went to class. Lee's first class was on the other side of the school ground and if he didn't hurry, he was going to be late. His first period teacher wasn't too nice when it came to being tardy.

His classes went by without a hitch, except for in his science class when his teacher asked him to come to the front of the class. He was a bit worried as his science teacher was a little strange. But he couldn't disobey him so he stood in front of his classmate for ten minutes while his bitter and jaded teacher scolded the rest of his class for not being more like him. Lee was hardworking and dedicated; why couldn't the rest of them be half as good as a student as he was? Lee kept a firm posture during the lecture but he was fidgeting inside. He appreciated his teacher treating him as the model student but he didn't quite like being jealously stared at. There certainly was a downside to being a nerd.

He spent lunch out on the soccer field with Sakura in his arms. He inhaled her scent, wondering why she smelled like spring flowers every day. Her hair was soft and smooth, and he loved running his fingers through them. Sakura liked clasping her hands on Lee's hand. She didn't mind the roughness of his skin. She knew there was a gentle side to Lee. They talked about nothing in particular. It was one of the things he enjoyed about his relationship with Sakura; they were extremely comfortable with each other that just being in the other person's presence was enough. No words needed to be spoken. They didn't need to verbally express how they felt because with one look, they knew what each other was thinking. Lee said a few things that made Sakura laughed. Sakura talked about what she planned to do after school. The girls were going to the mall to watch a movie. She asked Lee to come but Lee had baseball practice. When the lunch bell rang, they walked hand-in-hand back toward the school.

When school was over, Lee headed to the gym to change into his gym shorts. The baseball coach made them run a few laps before they got down to the actual practice. His team was like a second family to him. He didn't have parents and he was lucky enough to be placed in a very loving foster home. And even though Tenten was one tough cookie, she was still a girl. His teammates were pretty much like his brothers. They roughhoused and fooled around. They gave each other noogies and called each other crude names. It was just a few of the things that Lee couldn't do with Tenten. Well, he could if he wanted to, but he didn't want to treat Tenten like a boy, as much as his cousin wanted him to. Besides, there were guy talks that Lee did not feel comfortable talking to Tenten about.

"Hey, Lee, wait!" One of his teammate, Kiba, shouted after him. The rest of the team followed behind him. They all had a wide, excited grin on their faces. "We got a little something for ya." Lee stared at his team in confusion. It wasn't his birthday or any special holiday. Why would his team get him a present? "Close your eyes," Kiba said. Lee did so and heard Kiba count to three. "Ta-da!" Lee opened his eyes and gasped in utter surprise. He reached for the shiny aluminum baseball bat with great care like it was a newborn baby. He examined the fine work and the deep green cursive printing of "Konoha Lotus" on it. He could hardly breathe as he looked at each of his teammates in awe. "I-I cannot accept this!"

"Don't be such a pansy," Kiba said, "Just take it and use it to win us the championship!"

"I will! Thank you very much! I-I owe you all… pizza!" He hugged the bat to his chest and grinned happily at his team. "Thank you! Thank you!" After Lee took a shower at the gym, he went back home with the new bat in his backpack and a wide smile on his face. He was very content with his life and could not – would not dare – to ask for more. He had a wonderful family, a beautiful girlfriend, excellent grades, and supportive friends. Any other kids in the world would be jealous of his life. In the middle of his walk, he remembered the two children who were killed yesterday and realized that he needed to treasure what he had. There was no guarantee that his good life would be waiting for him next morning. There would be something around the bend, waiting to snatch his happiness away.

**This is the very well appreciated prelude my favorite GaaLee/leegaa Author, the ****Boyue**** made for me this holiday season XD! I will live up to it (will try anyway) and create the first Chapter of Felon ^^!**


	2. Chapter 1: Good Life

Chapter 1: The Sentence

Lee slowly approached his home with a dwindling smile on his features. The weight of his metal bat assured him of all his oncoming worries. He'd win the game…he always won the game! He would never let his team down. Lee motioned a steady hand to his backpack to massage the hard lump that was his present. An excited smile broke across his face. The Konoha Lotus… He would give a million games and trophies just to have this moment last forever. Lee didn't let the dream live long; he knew it was impossible to ask for so much. He already had everything he'd ever need in life. What more could he ask for? When nothing crossed his mind he yawned and stretched out on the sidewalk. When he straightened up he let a refreshing sigh fall from his chapped lips. Tilting his head, he peered out of his square bangs to lay his eyes on a grand house with decorative lawn flowers and stone bedding. His smile widened even more. He put his hands on his hips with a welcoming expression. Home sweet home!

The knob was never kind to him, not even on his good days. He never understood why the thing wouldn't twist an inch for him. Miraculously, Tenten was just around the corner. Her hands were a wonder. Every time Lee grabbed the knob and tried to crank it, it wouldn't budge. When Lee wore turtle necks in the winter, the knob would shock him. And in the summer time, the door would fry his palm. But never his cousin.

As Tenten rounded the last street sign, she jogged down the sidewalk Lee had previously stretched out on. She finally paused when she noticed Lee in the doorway. A knowing smile played over her lips as she hopped tauntingly up the stone steps. Giving a quick pat on Lee's shoulder signaled him to make way for a professional. Lee side-stepped to his cousin's left, patiently waiting for her fingers to go to work. She cleared her throat and teasingly cracked her knuckles as if to say, "Step back and watch the master." Lee humored her with a laugh. Despite how rough his cousin was, her delicate hands shown tan like brown sugar. She was still a girl, and she still cared about how she looked although she denied it. She didn't wear makeup, ever, but she did lather up with soothing lotions and light perfumes that smelled of spring and pedaled rose bushes. She would never admit to it. She'd say, "It's just soap", or, "Ino sprayed me again with her jasmine body spray."

Click

She smirked at Lee, and Lee exchanged the look. He went along with her showy attitude. The tremor of his lip's betrayed him and he let out a much needed laugh. He couldn't help himself. He chuckled at her attempt to be cute. There was no doubt that she was, but all those rough around the edge title's she earned over the years wouldn't let her be. Tenten playfully popped him in the chin for being rude. Their laughter swelled within the curry scented house as they waltzed in together.

Lee was the first to notice the spice littered air. Lee whiffed the scent and breathed it out slowly, letting his chest fall in rhythm with his heart, soft and steady. Tenten didn't share the same happiness as Lee. She wasn't a fan of fire hot curry. The skin around her nose bunched around the bridge. She groaned and slowly let her bag slip off her shoulder. A strong hand gripped her shoulder. Tenten smiled, knowing that it was Lee's way of saying, "Cheer up, it's delicious!" The brunette rolled her eyes and continued to be disgusted with the smell of food. She jokingly knocked Lee's hand away and dragged herself in the direction of her room. She parted from all the activity in the kitchen. The soft sound of air curling out from her door finalized her departure. The door clicked as it was locked from the inside. Banging of clothes hangers and shifting weight sounded from the end of the hall, and then, silence greeted the house. Gai slowly motioned his hand to Lee. The flick of his wrist commanded Lee to come and taste test his creation. Lee hopped over to his foster father with a child hungry look in his eye. Gai watched the bubbling red liquid with annoyance. Lee stepped closer to the heated pot of goo before getting a signal from Gai to taste it. Lee slid across the tile floor with ease thanks to his socks. A running view of oak cabinets and used cooking utensils flashed by him. He pressed down on his toes to halt all his movements. Destination met! He carefully pulled the knob, making sure not to yank it off its aged hinges. Silver spoons, forks and sharp cave knifes greeted him. He selected the first spoon that captured his face. His reflection was quickly becoming distorted in odd shapes and blended colors as he twist and flipped the spoon, searching it for germs.

"It doesn't taste quite right…"Gai said. He sprinkled some more salt into the bubbling mixture. "Come and give it a try." And he did. The red dish wet his tongue evenly. The satisfying burn of the throat and nostrils wrapped Lee's senses. It was hot…too hot for Tenten anyway. Lee smacked his lips together at the slight taste of charcoal. "I think you burned it a little." Gai nodded and agreed. "That's way it taste strange. Well, we don't waste food." Gai slowly ran his eyes over Lee's tired figure. "Lee? You look exhausted! Hurry and freshen up. You're free to sleep after your meal." Lee's head bobbed up and down lazily. He yawned on his way to his bedroom.

After a good rinse in the shower and hot meal, Lee retired to his bed. His soft comforter made it easy for his muscles to unwind. As he drifted into the dream realm, a lidded eye glanced at the Konoha team bat leaning against his nightstand. The pale glow of the moon outlined the metal in shimmering silver. 'Konoha Lotus' appeared as dull forest green in the poor lighting. Lee heaved a relived sigh of contentment. He had a good life…

…

…

Close to midnight Lee woke up. The floor boards cried under pressured steps from down the hallway from his room. Lee made sure to silence his steps as he slided off his spongy mattress and quickly tip toes his way toward his bedroom door. He poked his head out to scan the open area. His eye's landed on crooked photographs lining the loudly painted wall in front of him. Why was Tenten roaming the hall at night? She always boasted about how she didn't sneak snacks in the middle of the night like himself. What a hypocrite. Lee didn't really think that of his cousin, but what else could he call her at the moment? Well then. Lee smirked to himself. He would catch her in the act! Lee hadn't been this excited since the time he had taken his teachers ichi ichi paradise book due of Kiba's reckless dare. He peeked again. This time he glanced at the far end of the hall, where Tenten's room resided.

His heart skipped a beat.

Tenten's door was left wide open. The wind was howling loudly, the rustling of leaves sounded as branches danced to the violent gust. From where he was standing he could see the covers blanketing Tenten's feet…trembling.

Something wasn't right. Tenten always fussed at Lee for having his window rolled down too low in the old truck Gai kept out back. She hated how the wind would blow loose strands of amber from her already sloppy made buns. Lee would acknowledge her wishes and roll up his window. So why would Tenten open up her window when the wind was busy whipping around old plants and rigid fences? Lee gripped the edge of his door when he heard heavy footsteps patrolling the living area. Those didn't sound like Gai's steps…

Lee bit his bottom lip to suppress his cry. He didn't want to believe it… Someone was in his house. And their entrance was through Tenten's bedroom window. Before Lee could think of what to do, his fingers were already fishing around the nightstand in frantic search of the Konoha Lotus. Finally, his hands latched onto his bat. Tightening his grip on the handle Lee furrowed his brows. Whoever this intruder was…they weren't going to get away with scaring Tenten and disturbing the peace in his home. His heart echoed in his ears. He couldn't hear the heavy breathing flowing from his throat. As a consequence, his throat let out a dry hoarse heave instead of a noiseless huff. The sound of pacing steps froze, but Lee wasn't going to let that small factor dismiss his fears.

Before he could make his way into the narrow hall, shattered glass sounded throughout the house. Lee jumped into action, springing forth from his room like a kangaroo ready to kick the crap out of somebody. Lee dashed into the living room without a second's hesitation. He grounded his footing when he came across a destroyed family photo. Gai had his arms around Lee and Tenten's shoulders. They were smiling really hard as if the camera man had forced them to say 'Cheese'. Lee's eight-year old self had his onyx eye's sealed tight and his two front teeth knocked out. Tenten did that to him. He remembered complaining about his loose baby teeth and he even cried about the pain. He was _really_ crying when Tenten took the liberty in fixing the problem by sending a quick jab to his mouth. Gai was really upset about the whole thing, but the photo shooting was right around the clock. There was no time to cancel it, so Gai dragged him and his cousin to the studio. During the shooting it was like all the pain had left them. Gai was happy and wasn't fussing about dentist appointments. Tenten wasn't blaming Lee for crying about his teeth hurting, and Lee wasn't in pain, he was rather numb. Gai had given wallet sized pictures out to the orphanage and close friends. Lee gripped the bat with more vice than before. He grits his teeth together to keep the sadness off his features. That picture… was the only family sized portrait of them together like that. Whoever this intruder was…they are in _deep_ trouble.

Lee was fired up with rage. He snapped his head up from the photo only to get a sliver of detail from the intruder. A tall man…about 6'2, was high tailing it out of the living room with Gai's wallet in hand. Tenten always barked at Gai for leaving it on top of the T.V. stand when he got home from work.

Lee immediately gave chase. The man managed to make it out of the front door without a hitch. Lee didn't care if he were half naked, dressed in a too-small under shirt and green and orange plaid boxers. He leaped onto the front porch and followed the man with his cautious eyes. The man had stilled under the golden glow of a street light. The dim light would appear piercing to anyone walking out of their home at this hour. Lee took this opportunity to act! Lee sprang from the porch and onto the lawn, the dry grass made a soft crunch as he landed.

The man finally rubbed the blindness away from his eyes but was too late to act when he noticed Lee closing in on him from behind. The man fell on all fours to evade Lee's grab. The man hopped up from his knees and hurried toward the mail box. Lee pivoted quickly, a trick he learned from his baseball coach, and raced after the man.

"Give that back!" Lee breathed.

"Fuck off!" The man hastily reached for his back pocket. Lee immediately swung his bat, aiming for the man's shoulder. Unfortunately the man ducked …

Lee stiffened. The man's arms hung loosely from his twirling figure. The impact of the blow was too great…the man spiraled around until dead footing made him fall like a lifeless doll, crushing the grass as he collided with the earth beneath him. The figure landed with a heavy 'thud'. Lee's round eyes widened. Everything seemed to be in slow motion…

His whole body went numb from the sudden chill overthrowing his system despite the morning heat. The thickening scent of copper filled his nostrils as he stared at the ruby liquid outpouring from the man's fractured skull. Why did he duck at the last minute? Instead of halting the man with a blow to the shoulder, he hit something crucially vital. Lee's breathing ceased and his heart was without a pulse. He had just taken the life of another man…an intruder who was now the victim. Lee's eyes couldn't escape the man's dull gray one's... He sat and watched as the blood turned black. Slowly, it began to cake around the man's ear.

Tenten dashed out of the house, no longer paralyzed by the fear.

"Lee!" She hopped onto the front lawn without a moment's hesitation. She didn't care if she was out running in her pink undershirt and purple boy shorts. She kept shouting his name like he was deaf. Closing in on Lee, she discovered the man's body littering their lawn. Almost immediately after laying her eyes on the body, she slapped a quivering hand over her mouth to silence her shrill scream. After a minute or two, she slowly released her hand from over her lips. Lee was motionless with momentary shock. His bat was lathered in blood, from the tip to the middle part of the word Konoha. The handle rested limply in his hand, barely supporting it. The tip of it rested in the dry grass. Tenten's eyes glazed over with water.

"God Lee…" she sniffed.

She ushered him inside. He numbly followed her. Gai was frantic, checking if any other household item was taken. Lee scanned the living area. The photo was gone. Gai must have already taken care of it.

"Lee! Sit down, sit down!"His foster father bellowed. Tenten and Gai helped him onto the couch. Lee's body was seemingly weak from the shock overpowering him. He couldn't even stand up straight without his legs trembling. "It's okay, you were just protecting us." Lee nodded at Tenten's kind words.

Authority showed up fifteen minutes later. A chubby officer and his men searched the house with little precision. Another team of police identified the body out front to be Kota Takashi. He was around the age of 35 and was recently being kept under the close eye of the police due to his other house robberies. Lee was deaf to the information. He was still shaken by the man's official death.

An ambulance and fire truck parked outside the house, causing it to be looked upon by nosey neighbors. The police seemed to be wrapping things up as they gave the house one last weary look before exiting the premises. The chubby cop made his way over to the couch where a guilty Lee resided. A pat on the shoulder made Lee gaze up out of his palms and into the gruff face of the officer. His reddened eyes squinted as if to say, "What is it?" Just when Lee thought things couldn't get any worse.

"You're coming with us son."

Was he hearing correctly? Was he being put under arrest? Lee sat with a disbelieving expression. His heart began to beat rapidly. He was utterly speechless. Thank god his cousin was there.

Tenten took the stand for him, "What did he do wrong? He saved our lives and now you're hauling him off to prison?! For what? Self-defense?! What kind of justice…"

The cop cupped his belt with gruff hands and lazily exhaled as if he'd given this oncoming speak before. "Ma'am, I understand, but this young man had no reason to give chase. If the man left the premises, he should have called the police immediately."

"But he was still on our property!" Tenten argued. "Lee didn't mean to kill him! He was aiming for his arm. And besides, that man could have been armed-"

"But he _**wasn't**_." The cop spat.

Tenten found herself speechless. As much as she wanted to say something else she couldn't. Gai held her shoulders tightly. The man continued, "If this boy killed the perpetrator in the house, then we could label this as self-defense. But because the man left the premises, you had no right to chase him. That's way Takashi's death counts against you." Lee stared at the man with watered eyes. What could he say? Nothing was going to change the fact that he was a murderer. Law was law…and what say did he have against it?

"What we can do, is let you off after a 90 day period. It's the good behavior reward to first offenders like yourself. Not many can survive it though. My advice to you son, is to make friends with the warden. Stay out of his way and don't draw any kind of attention to yourself. That man is brutal, or so I'm told. He's even got one of his own kids locked up in there." The chubby man shook his head. He sighed, "Let's get going."

Tenten broke free of Gai's hold and jumped at the officer, only to be restrained by another cop. "You fatass!!" she screamed. The chubby officer quickly motioned Lee out of the house and onto the front lawn. The dead body was now covered with a dingy white sheet. Lee could still hear his cousin's crude remarks being thrown at the officer as he led Lee inside the small police car. Tenten stumbled onto the front porch with Gai following close behind her, trying desperately to calm her down. The car's engine grunted to life. Upon hearing the noise, Tenten dashed down the stone steps and onto the cold concrete. Tenten sprinted to Lee's passenger window. She banged on it repeatedly with tears streaming from her reddened eyes. "We'll visit you!" She sobbed weakly. Her voice was a bit muted from the window, but Lee caught every tear stained word. The car slowly drove off at a walking speed and then sped up at hyper drive. The flashing view of his neighborhood past him by in a flurry of color. He was leaving…but he swore, for Tenten, Gai, Sakura and even his team…to come back.

The radio played static with minor interruptions from other police intercoms. Lee was actually going to prison… He gripped at his heart and let out a silent cry. Nothing was ever promised to you. When you're at the highest peak in your life, the only way to fall is to be brought down from that mighty mountain. Things like the death of two children, things like your cousin crying on your behalf, and things like prison were the things that tore you down. They were tearing Lee apart. He was leaving home in exchange for a dirty jail cell and bad food. Prison was awaiting him.


	3. Prison

The clad orange uniform rivaled his green track suit he used to where in middle school. After a night in the county jail and a cruel hearing by an aloof judge, Lee was thrown onto a bus with many odd characters. Very orange looking characters. Lee's regards for the color were very high, but seeing how it was stationed next to him, around him, and _on_ him…his eyes were growing tired of it. He shifted nervously under pinpoint gazes from gruff looking men. The unwanted attention was growing steadily as he took his seat next to an ebony haired boy. The boy was rather young, like himself, but…something about the male alarmed Lee. His suit was dull and dingy with wrinkles from daylong wear. Lee peered down at his own uniform. Loud and loose. Without moving his head, Lee's eyes stole glances from other prisoners. Their outfits were seemingly like the young man's next to him. Old and tired. This couldn't be their first trip to the pin. Most likely, they are returning. Lee forced himself to drop the subject. It wasn't healthy to worry about something unnecessary. He'd be worrying soon enough.

The bus jerked back and forth before becoming mobile. The whistling of air escaping the passenger window wiped through Lee's and his partner's hair. Lee could just see Tenten shouting at the man next to him for having the window down so low. He weakly smiled at the thought. The other prisoners either glared at each other or at the images shooting past them as the bus sped on toward the maximum security prison. Furrowing his brow, Lee motioned to the edge of his seat to get a better look outside the dirty window. His vision was distorted and blurred due to the smeared bird poop and bug blood, but he could make out dry landscape and scarce plants. Lee winced at the sight of sand mercilessly being wiped by the high gust and the gravel rocks being thrown under the wheels of the yellow bus. Lee frowned. Where were they going? Was this prison really located in the middle of a desert? Lee hesitated in asking the male next to him but nonetheless proceeded to do so.

"Um…where is the prison?"

The boy slowly faced him with a sour look gracing his features as if to say, "Who wants to know?" Lee blinked. The boy's hair was graciously flowing over his dull shoulders. Loose strands tickled his soft eyes and puffy pink lips. If Lee didn't know any better, he'd have thought the young man was a woman.

"…You've never been have you." The boy slowly ran his gloomy eyes over Lee's loud outfit and sighed. The puff of attitude fluffed up the lingering strands raining over his lips. The boy let his gloomy eyes stick to Lee's face, still devoid of any emotion. His brow furrowed just enough to put a crease in his delicate features. A flicker of shyness marred his detached body language, as if he'd just been flashed by a troublesome schoolgirl. The moment passed quickly, leaving as soon as it had come. Pursing his lips for a minute, he licked them with a dry tongue and opted to say something before shutting his mouth again. Lee was entranced by the boy's odd behavior, but he dismissed the weirdness. He's an ex-inmate, of course he wasn't normal. Maybe he was on drugs.

"People like you don't last long without…" The boy bit down into his bottom lip, drawing blood. He covered his mouth with a shaky hand, with ruby red liquid oozing from under it with frightening speed. He acted as if he was at war with himself, nibbling at his pale fingers with a bloodied lip. He dismissed Lee completely and continued to taste his own flesh. Lee swallowed hard, completely unsure of what to do or say. Uncomfortable with the sudden crazed state of his partner, he slid even further onto the edge of their seat. If he was going to be sharing a seat with a psycho, he wanted to at least be out of arms reach.

Lee jumped at the sudden pressure messaging his scalp. Jumping up from the contact, Lee yelped at the metal ceiling connecting with his forehead. He mentally kicked himself for throwing his head back at the touch of fingers. Prisoners grunted and smirked at Lee's performance. Lee glanced around nervously, realizing that he had jumped up and screamed like a girl. Momentarily embarrassed, he took his seat. Hot breath tickled Lee's collar

"Hey there…" came a sly voice. Lee shuddered briefly before snapping his head around to look at his molester. Pale eyes stared into his onyx ones. Lee blinked, completely taken by the offender's beauty. It was strange…he always thought of prisoners to be… ugly. Like in the movies he'd watch with Tenten, she loves a good prison flick. Looking at the male to his right and the male in front of him, Lee concluded that movies were all show and no fact.

"H-hi." Lee stuttered. He shifted uncomfortably under the males intensive staring. It was almost as if he were looking right through him. Lee nervously twitched, as if he'd been shocked by the front door back home.

_Why is he staring at me like that…_

The male scanned Lee's eyes, reading them like a book. He smirked and brought his hand up only to have it rest on the bright uniform.

"New?" Lee nodded uncomfortably. What was up with the whole touchy feely thing? Lee shyly shrugged the man's hand off of his shoulder and offered a small smile.

"I am Lee." The male's grin only grew wider. Lee didn't know what set the man off, but his smile was starting to bug him.

"I'm Neji, glad to get acquainted with you Lee." He brought his hand from behind the bus seat again, but Lee was fast to twirl around. That wasn't very bright on his part. Long slender fingers raced through lush black locks as if curiously seeking the answer to its shininess. Lee tried his best not to shudder from the pleasurable sensation but was failing miserably. Twitch. Twitch, twitch. Small moans were becoming increasingly more difficult to keep down. Lee would literally slap a hand over his mouth to keep a throaty moan from escaping. He was too afraid to tell Neji to stop. Despite Neji's looks, he was taller than himself and his muscles were visible through his white tee. They weren't painfully obvious like some other inmates aboard the bus, but they were still there. His posture alone told bystanders to cast their views elsewhere. And by the look of his clothes, he was probably a returnee like the male beside him.

...

….

"Gai…" Tenten slurred. Gai hesitantly tilted his head to peer into his foster child's face. Her eyes were red and puffy. The first time he had ever seen her shed a tear, was the week Lee was arrested. She was so rough around the edges, but seeing her this way made his heart drop. She was rough with language, attitude, and she took it upon herself to fix problems physically. Seeing her torn up like a dogs chew toy almost brought him to tears. An emotional Tenten was non-existent until now.

"Did you get any sleep?" Gai studied her puffy eyes and messy bed hair. Was she getting any sleep at all? Her eyes watered.

With a tired tongue she slurred, "When will we be able to visit him?"

Apparently, the lack of sleep and runny nose were preventing her from talking correctly. Her words were all blended together like a smoothie. Gai furrowed his brow in annoyance. Tenten has been ignoring his worries ever since Lee was sent away after the judges hearing. Her back talk has doubled too. Gai ran a tired hand over his face, letting it drag his skin down in the process.

"You know the answer to that…"

Tenten's jaw tensed as she barred her teeth trying to keep an agitated cry from escaping the bowels of her throat. She breathed loudly and blinked a few times to regain what little composure she possessed. After a minute or two of staring holes into the tile floor she returned her gaze to a tired Gai.

"W-we have to wait…until he reaches the p-prison."She rolled her head on her shoulders until her attention was back on the gritty floor. When Gai didn't respond, she patted her leg nervously as she kicked out her other foot. The habit had started shortly after Lee was thrown into the cop's car. She had kicked the sofa until her foot grew vibrant and warm. Surprisingly, Gai hadn't tried to stop her from dong it.

"How many hours of sleep did you get?" Gai didn't look into Tenten's dull eyes…he couldn't. His head hung low from his shoulders. A hand lazily dragged itself through the loose ebony locks until Tenten spoke again.

"…..enough."She lied. Gai's hand stilled at her words. His hand began to pulsate, scaring Tenten a bit.

Gai sighed, "Your eyes say otherwise."

Tenten was like a ticking time bomb. Never knowing when she would explode into a million angered pieces was like waiting for the end of the world to come.

Stomping her foot, she glared at him with piercing amber.

"I can't sleep. You know why? Huh?!" her voice crescendoed into an ear shattering scream. Gai didn't have to look her in the face to know that she was losing it. Her cheeks were plush with anger and her brow was collecting sweat. The day she came home sporting a busted lip, she was red faced and spitting out cuss words like a miniature rapper. That was back in middle school when she was being bullied. But now, here she was, an eighteen year old woman, chewing out her old man all due to emotional stress.

."Every time I close my eyes …I see him", she sniffed, "On a dirty concrete floor...dying." Her words came slow, as if she were recalling a faint dream she couldn't quite remember. She scrunched her eyes setting free a fresh batch of tears. She chewed her lip to calm herself.

"…"Gai concentrated on stopping the image from forming.

"But you can sleep..."She whispered through tight lips. Tenten raised a shaking finger to her bloodied lip. "You can because you don't care!"

"…"

"You can't handle it can you…."

"…"

"And the only way to escape this reality…is to sleep it away."

_Plip plip_

His shoulders shook so awful. Tenten blinked when droplets began spotting the floor. One...two…five… they were blending together in a salty puddle near his foot. Tenten watched as her feet automatically took turns hitting the cool tile. Gai's hair was greasy, absent of its usual sheen. His shirt was crusted with dry curry and he reeked of sweat. Tenten slowly got to her knees, placing herself between Gai's spaced legs. She towered him by two inches only because he had his head down low to his chest.

"I'm sorry…so sorry."He sobbed. She sucked in her bottom lip and nodded, unable to stop. She wrapped her arms around him and brought him into a suffocating hug. The feeling of his body trembling under her touch made her squeeze him even tighter. The scent of heavy spices stung her eyes, but she didn't care. She combed her shaky fingers through greasy hair and made a mental note to wash it later.

"We are struggling…but we don't have to do it alone." Gai hugged his child back with vice, as if she were his last life line. Tenten was never alone in frustration…she was just venting for the both of them.

…

…

"Hey ass wipe, get in line!" The police man nudged Lee in the hip with his night stick. A smug smile shadowed his professional features as he watched Lee hop back into place. Lee wasn't sure why they were even forming a line but he complied. At least that four hour ride was over and his seat sharing partner had disappeared in the crowd of inmates. The only negative about the drive was Neji's fingers. Not once did they take a rest from his lush ebony locks. He shuddered at the thought. He had actually moaned…once. He wasn't able to contain himself, but he made sure to swallow down all of his other urges. He didn't want to be driven into a corner by Neji. Especially in the showers… He shot down the thought immediately. No way would he think about that, he was stressed as it was.

The prison already housed inmates, but before he and the others could be placed in a cell, they had to do paper work…or at least the warden and the other officers did. The returnee's and Lee had to wait in a huge cell that usually housed the 'overnight' stays for other criminals until the paper work was done. The overnight stay was for people who drove without their seatbelts on, license and etc.

Lee looked about his surrounding with worry. He didn't let his eye's linger too long. He would take a quick peek and then shift his attention to someone else. Everyone was knuckling up with buddies they haven't seen since they last stay. There were ever a few nut cases, griping each other's shoulders and running their forehead's together at full speed, as if trying to knock the other one unconscious. After the recoil effect of the blow, they smiled and said their hellos.

"You lookin' at me punk?" Everyone stilled. From across the cell, a man twice his size was boring holes in him. Fire hot holes. Cruel laughter erupted from all around him. Spit and crude language was thrown into his face. Lee pressed himself further into the cramped corner he was uncomfortably leaning on. He just wanted to disappear and fade into the wall. The man inched closer, revealing his scarred cheek and hairy arms. He was bald and his muscles rippled through his dingy tee. Lee swallowed. Never had he been so scared in his life. This man was going to rip him limb from limb and all these bystanders were going to relish in his dismemberment.

"I'm talking to you!" The smell of molded cheese wafted from the hot breath of the man. Lee scrunched his nose up and said, "I a-am sorry! I did not mean to offend…" An iron fist crushed his chest and bashed him into the corner. Drool seeped from his open mouth in an attempt to let out a hoarse scream, but he was frozen in pain. The inmates roared with vice. They shouted for more, as if they were witnessing a live wrestling match with the victor about to finish his opponent off with a killer move. Pain erupted from his gut as the man delivered another powerful blow. Blood speckled the man's chest as Lee sputtered and squirmed in agony. Everything was nauseating to look at. The grey walls mixed with the man's complexion as the hectic enjoinment swirled around his bald head. Everything was growing grey and blurry in Lee's vision.

Loud banging bellowed over all the havoc. The cop from earlier ran his nightstick along the rusty bars of the jail cell. The prisoners only got louder as lee continued to take punishment from the gruff man smashing him into the corner.

"Break it up!" The cop hastily plucked a key from his belt and proceeded with unlocking the steel door. A squad of blue uniformed men hopped onto Lee's offender and took him down. One cop sat on his back, lacing the prisoner's rough wrists with silver cuffs. Two secured his legs, another on stabbed him with a needle. The man huffed and puffed, "I'mma kill him! I'mma kill…'em…I…gonna…" Lee frantically scrambled behind the police as the man's yap drew close. His eyes had rolled within the confines of his skull as drool slowly began building under his tongue. Did they inject him with a tranquilizer? A rough shove sent him flying back into another prisoner, who pushed him off his chest. Lee sniffed, realizing that he had been crying.

A cop sporting ruffled brown hair nudged Lee in the ribs with his nightstick. The man hollered at a frightened Lee, "You provoke him or somethin'?"

Unable to speak, Lee shook his head frantically at the officer. The man flicked his wrist at the other officers, signaling them to drag the inmate away to god knows where. The man didn't seem surprised at Lee's reaction. He gave an upward nod and jabbed his finger into Lee's soar chest.

"Watch your back…." The man slowly retracted his hand from the pained Lee and trudged his way out of the cell, locking it with a violent crank of his key. When the cops were out of sight, the inmates sounded out again. More hellos and head bashing greetings formulated. Lee sulked in his corner, not bothering to wipe the blood running down his chin. Only a moment ago he was someone's punching bag…it's only been one day. One lousy stinkin' day. He knew he only needed to endure ninety days of this living hell, but at this rate was he even going to survive? He began to wonder when someone would visit…or even write a letter. Lee reached to the back of his head for memories long forgotten. In prison you always see the main character getting to make a phone call. Lee blinked. Every prisoner was allowed one phone call…but only one. Lee held onto the thought like his life depended on it. He would use it wisely…he didn't want to waste a call just to cry over the phone like a girl, blabbering about how bad his day went.

Finally, after half an hour of chaos the cells were ready. Lee walked single file behind a rough looking man. He towered over Lee, making it hard to peak around him because of the cops. They'd shout and holler at him when his head was poking out. Lee gave up and instead nervously peeked into passing cells. He immediately took back everything he had once said about pretty people… Prisoners were either harassing their jail mate or sleeping. Lee grimaced when he noticed toilets in the cells. They were hidden well in the dull space. Some prisoners were even exercising. Lee marveled at how crowded the run down prison really was. He concluded that everyone was going to bunking with a cellmate.

Every now and then the line would stop to allow an inmate to causally exit the line. The line was dwindling fast. One inmate there, another here. He began to feel nauseous. The taste of copper and spit rushed down his dry throat as he swallowed. He was next.

The same cop with the shaggy brown locks nudged him in the ribs in an attempt to get Lee to move over to a cell.

"Get in there fuzzy brows." Lee hesitantly walked into the cell. The over whelming smell of urine washed over Lee. He gagged but quickly swallowed down the sickness twirling around in his stomach. A grey wall marred with old scars from knifes chiseling into them painted Lee's expression with worry. Lee read the carvings. Love…the character for love was sketched _everywhere_. Every corner, every space, _everything_…was scarred with the damn word.

**BANG**

Lee twisted his head on his shoulders in a panicked motion. The rusty door slammed shut in one quick swing of the officer's hand. The jingling of silver keys cranking the miniature wires and trinkets in the lock, activating its stubborn seal made everything seem so final…so real. The cop looked at him from the opposite side of the bars. Lee was expecting the man to smirk and be on his way, but he stayed a moment longer than he should have and gave an upward nod to Lee. Lee could have sworn he heard the man whisper _"Good luck"_ but he dismissed it altogether when a bundle of blue uniform men shoved an inmate in the direction of his cell. The redheaded boy they were hauling around was rather young…a teenager like himself.

The boy shrugged them off effortlessly as he sluggishly made his way over to the cell. The officers quickly proceeded after him, watching him like a hawk. There were three of them. A man sporting scars on every visible part of his body followed close behind a man dressed from head to toe in a business suit. A woman stood at his right with a clipboard in hand. She rolled her eyes and argued about how pointless it was to follow the young boy. The man with scars rushed behind the redhead and gripped at his grey tee, pressing him up against the bars. Lee screamed and tripped, falling in a cowardly fashion. He scrambled to the small bunk next to him. He didn't want to get involved in anything.

"Gaara, don't walk away when your father is speaking to you." The man with the business suit said. The boy who was pinned to the cell glared into the other man's face, uncaring of what was being said to him. After a moment of taunting silence, the man waved his hand.

"Let him go, Baki." The scarred man loosened his grip but did not release Gaara.

"If you want to get out of here I suggest you stop fucking up." Baki roughly snagged his hand back to his side and slowly made his way behind the young women and Gaara's father. Lee didn't know how or when the cell was opened, but the red head trudged inside while taking note of his new jail mate. He looked at the bunk Lee was cowering under.

"That's mine." He said. His jade eye's followed Lee's hesitant movements. Lee quickly made his way to the opposite bunk, unconsciously awaiting further instructions. The boy shoved his hands into his dingy uniform and snorted. "If you need to jack off, face the wall." He nodded at the steel bars and continued, "If you need to break wind, face your ass to the cell." He gave a wary look at the black toilet and grimaced, "One square every release. You do all that, and we won't have any problems." Lee nervously nodded, afraid to voice a small_ "yes"._

Gaara made his way over to his bunk and lazily propped himself on it. His back was hunched over one knee as the other one was thrown over the edge of the mattress. His elbow rested on his propped knee. Jade captured Onyx. Lee was captivated…the man before him was toned like himself. There was no sign of punishment on his body. No scars…no dirt…no blood. His arms were absent of hair…Lee doubted that the rest of him was like that. His muscles were lean like Neji's.

Lee concluded his staring and determined that his jail mate was handsome…very much so. The boy didn't notice, or at least pretended not to. He was busy running his eyes over Lee's figure. Lee squirmed uncomfortably under the obsessive attention he was receiving. Gaara peered up into Lee's face with an amused look gracing his intimidating features. He smirked and laid on his side, ready to rest.

"…night."

Lee did the same. That was the longest night of his life.


	4. Prison:Day Two

Chapter 4: Day two

She greeted the school entrance with a sigh. It was a weekend when Lee was taken into custody. With the weekend closing, Tenten had to grit and bare Monday. Tenten didn't really feel she was ready to face the criticism awaiting her through those double doors. If anyone even mentioned Lee… She immediately dismissed the thought. She had promised Gai that she would keep her feelings intact despite what might happen. She didn't have a clue how she was going to hold in her anguish though. She didn't plan on talking about it either. Lee told her about how her body language sent people running. She had made fun of him, telling him how 'feminine' he could be about things. He let it slide. She grinned to herself but the smile didn't last long.

She stomped through the halls, shoving people left and right clearing her walk way. Her reputation wasn't the greatest. She was described as 'cruel', 'brutal', and even 'scary'. Any other day, those titles would be completely exaggerated. However…today wasn't exactly every _other _day. She was all the above. Cruel? _Check._ Brutal? _Check._ Scary? _**Triple check**__. _Curses were thrown at her back, but she could care less. She stomped into Iruka's class room. All eyes darted toward her, a little too anxious to see who it was. She glared. They all cast their timid views away, completely aware of her violent demeanor. A fight this early in the morning would only result in unruly madness. Tenten dropped down into her plastic blue seat. It was hard as always, and the texture was lumpy like goose bumps. Her bag slid off her shoulder and slammed to the floor with a heavy 'thud'. She froze. The sound was final…like it was the last time she'd hear such a noise. Blinking, she snapped out of the weird thought and went back to brooding. She slouched over in her chair. She towered over her pencil and paper and brought her arms across them impatiently. Her head was pressed against her crossed arms, tilted in a lazy manner so that she could peer at the front door. Students usually crowded around it, chatting with friends, lovers and sometimes coaches. She snorted. What a bunch of low lives.

She slowly brought her attention to the lockers. It was nothing special, just grey cheap metal that was rusted on the inside cover. Tenten bet if she rammed her fist into it, it would cave in like a pillow. A very _hard_ pillow. She watched lazily for a few sour moments. Students made out saying their goodbyes (as if they wouldn't see each other after the bell) and last minute arrivals who scurried to their lockers. Filled with the panic of being late, they hurriedly yanked out books and spirals, not really paying attention whether or not it was the correct supplies needed for class. Tenten sighed, puffing up a loose strand of hair that she didn't bother to fix. Just as she was tearing her sight away…She blinked. Was she seeing things? She squinted her eyes…locking them onto a couple near the lockers. Was that who she thought it was?

She snagged her pencil from off the raggedy desk and rushed out the door, roughly shoving away teens crowding her path. Just what did **she **think she was doing? Tenten's heart raced in her ears and her jaw tensed. In her view…A boy was greedily exploring the smooth skin under some girl's shirt, not caring who saw. The girl made a muffled moan in his mouth, pressing her firm breast against his concealed chest.

**WHAM**

Tenten winced from the pain. Her palm pulsated from the harsh blow. Well…she was right. The lockers were cheap. She slowly brought her hand to her side, ignoring the contorted metal that suspiciously looked like a dented fist. Her _dented_ fist. All attention in the hall grew wary of the tension. The atmosphere was suffocating and alluring all passerbies. Walking ceased. Eyes planted themselves on Tenten and…

"Sakura?"Was all she could say at the moment. She was completely dumbstruck.

"Oh…" Sakura jumped away from the taller male. His hands were now exposed to the fluorescent lights illuminating the hallway as Sakura's shirt fluffed up from the quick separation. She coughed and fixed her hair with a nervous glow to her cheeks.

Tenten unconsciously gripped the pencil with more vice, almost crushing the writing utensil into small wooden splinters.

"Sakura…who is this?" Tenten strained herself trying to stay calm, but her voice betrayed her. Malice graced her voice and made Sakura twitch. Her eyes were hard and devoid of mercy. Bright amber drained into dark chocolate…

"This is Sai…the transfer student." Sakura stuttered his name but the rest was spoke with such admiration, as if she was talking about a past lover she couldn't forget. Sakura stood next to Sai and eyed Tenten casually. If only Sakura knew there was a bomb ticking down the time to Tentens rage.

"What about Lee..?"Her voice broke into a soft sob. She didn't want to cry, but she could already feel the sting in the corners of her eyes.

Sakura smacked her lips and sighed softly. She spoke in such a childish manner, as if she were explaining easy math to a first grader, "I can't wait for him Tenten," Sakura brushed a stray hair from her forehead and tucked it neatly under her hairband. She was no longer scared or nervous of Tenten's dangerous vibe. Her face was blunt with a relieved emotion. "I have to live my life, you know?"

Everything in Tenten's vision was shaky and grey. The air was all scratched up and raw…

"You can't wait three months? Three fucking months!?" She emphasized her point by throwing three fingers up and waving them around frantically before smashing her hand into a pale cheek. Sakura gave a surprised shriek as she recoiled from the impact. The burn flaring across her face was growing painful. The fluorescent lights were becoming smaller. Her gut twisted like a pretzel as she sank to the floor. Her shaky hands quickly placed themselves on her swollen face.

"Tenten?!" Sakura wailed.

"Lee put up with you for his whole school life, and you can't even support him?!" A tear tickled her red cheeks.

Sai hastily helped Sakura get to her feet. She was standing on shaky grounds with violence and pain and was now becoming aware of her mistake with Tenten. She carefully picked her words out, hoping to calm the upset brunette. She decided to tell the truth.

"Lee…he is sweet, but he always came second compared to Sai." She peered at her lover and hesitantly eyed Tenten. She couldn't read her expression. Tenten's eyes were drunk with fury and entangled with surprise and anguish. She was blank. It was the only way Sakura could describe her.

"And besides," Sai pitched in, "Who waits around for some criminal?"

A wave of anger swallowed her whole. Tenten breathed heavily. Ever since preschool she's had anger issues. It was just the way she was. It's been so long since she last blacked out. She recalled a time in the orphanage, but that was it. She woke up only to be informed that she had hurt another child and was to be passed on to a therapist. The orphanage couldn't afford Tenten's treatment so instead they locked her in a room, waiting for her to come around with her attitude. That's when Gai appeared…rescuing her from further humiliation. She wondered endlessly through the dark depths of her mind. She didn't want to wake up. She already knew she did something awful. The last thing she could recall was gripping her pencil and then...the rest was a blank. Whatever happened…she knew it wasn't pretty.

…

…

Lee didn't like where this was going. It was only the second day and he swore Gaara watched him sleep the whole night away. His hairs stood up on the back of his neck and static tickled him. The feel of someone staring… He thanked whoever was watching over him that he was facing the violated wall of 'love'. He hadn't known when he fell asleep, but he was rudely awaken by an officer screaming "Rise and shine ladies!" Lee didn't know what time it was but he was certain it was early. He automatically woke up at six o 'clock every morning of his life, it was as if an alarm clock was built into him. He was still groggy as he lazily rubbed his crusted eyes. If he was this tired…it had to be earlier than he was use to.

"He's coming." Lee warily peeked through his bangs to see Gaara standing, facing the rusted bars of the cell. He looked like a military subordinate standing at attention for his commander. Lee mimicked the red head as he was unfamiliar with the procedures of the prison. Lining himself up next to his cellmate, Lee discovered he was taller. Well, only by an inch. Gaara, surprisingly, had a wider frame than him. Lee may be taller, but he was thin…thin compared to his cellmate. Gaara…he wondered how buff he really was under his baggy grey tee…

Lee jumped at the screeching noise polluting the air. Their prison gate was receding into the wall like an elevator door. The noise fell silent when the door disappeared. Lee clutched his baggy uniform pants. His heart was in his ears and his eyes were watery. He was still jumpy from yesterdays brawl. His nerves were so worn…everything just scared him. Noise, people, everything. He couldn't help it. He felt…vulnerable. Without tilting his head, he glanced at Gaara. Gaara wore the same expression he used when he was around his father. Bored and detached. Lee wondered what happened to the creepy person he meet last night.

The concrete floor vibrated as an officer made his way to their cell. Lee wondered why the officer was making few trips. He had a line of inmates behind him. Lee swallowed…their faces were so familiar. Was this cop collecting all of the newcomers?

"Rock lee." He grumbled. His eye's lazily peered up over his clipboard to stare daggers into Lees onyx ones.

"Follow me." He tucked his clipboard under his armpit and spat at the ground. Lee gave one last pleading look at Gaara. He wanted help…support…_something_. Gaara said nothing and slowly trudged back to his bunk.

"Get to stepping kid before I force you." He threatened Lee with his nightstick, whacking it onto his palm. Lee nodded dumbly and quickly made his way out of the cell and behind the long line of inmates. As he passed by the familiar glares a familiar face stole his attention. The boy from the bus nodded his head, signaling Lee to get behind him. Lee didn't want to cut anyone but he didn't want to call attention from the officer watching his back. The boy furrowed his brow, contorting his delicate features, and yanked Lee by his orange collar. Lee hit the railing lining the upper story floor. He squirmed from the pain gracing his hip, but the boy gave him a look that said "Straighten up and follow along." Lee did so.

As they walked on, Lee noticed that they were leaving the top floor. They walked down two flights of stairs and now they were on their way to…

"Where are we going?" Lee whispered a little too loud. Some prisoners turned their heads and then dismissed the comment, obviously thinking to themselves "Newbie…" The boy tilted his head, just enough to see Lee in the corner of his eye. "The inspection room…it's where they check if you're carrying anything on you..." the words barely floated over his shoulder, but Lee heard him perfectly.

"But how?" Lee was completely taken by the statement. All he was wearing under the orange jail suit was the green t-shirt and plaid boxers he wore the night of the murder. How could he be carrying something on him when it was visibly apparent that he wasn't? The boy didn't answer Lee, but that was okay. Lee decided that he'd learn soon enough.

The officer unlocked a steel door. It opened their eyes to a bland room. Every inmate was to remove their shoes before entering. The walls were white and the grey floor was cold. There were no chairs around…nothing was around. How exactly were they going to be inspected?

"Okay you bastards." The officer bellowed. The man gripped his belt with vice and gave a bored sigh.

"Take 'em off."

Lee blinked. He couldn't mean what he thought he meant… To his left, men were striping. To his right, the boy he knew from the bus was doing the same. Lee blushed darkly when he noticed that he was the only one still fully clothed. The boy was down to his black boxers. Lee's eyes grew two times their size when the boy proceeded to strip even those.

"Hey! I don't care if you're new or not. You don't get any special treatment." The officer called, pointing his chubby finger at Lee. Lee gripped at his chest with fear. His forehead was breaking out bullets of sweat. He unconsciously began chewing his lip when the officer walked into his personal space.

The officer was shorter than him, he could probably take him down if he tried anything funny.

The officer spat, "You think I'm playing son? Well then…" The officer stepped a back until he was back at his starting post. He smirked, "Hey boys, you know what we do to stubborn brats, hm?" Chuckling swelled all around him. What was so funny? The boy next to him glared at Lee.

"If you don't take your clothes off now they're going to…" He was cut off by an uproar from the surrounding prisoners.

"Help him out guys." The officer stepped back and crossed his arms with a satisfied look on his gruff face.

"AAHHHH!" Lee wailed. He crashed to the floor from the force of a larger inmate tackling him. The rest jumped on him, groping him in places he'd rather not say. Tight fingers clutched at his collar and whipped back with great force and with one move, his whole jumpsuit tore itself loose from his body into stringy stretched cloth. Lee screamed and kicked his legs but was pinned down by his hips and arms. He gave a desperate cry as he arched his back and wiggled his chest, a last attempt at throwing his offenders off of him. To no avail, they continued to rummage through his green tee. Lee was bare with only one piece of clothing keeping his dignity intact. His boxers. Lee was tired of wiggling and screaming, but despite his drained state, he continued to fling his weight around.

Lee silently gasped as his boxers were roughly removed. He was soaked with his own pool of tears. Lee threw his head side to side wildly when he felt weight pressing into his waist. The prisoners load excited uproar was ringing in his ears. Lee was so intent on screaming and kicking that he didn't even notice the man straddling his waist.

Lee tried to wiggle his hips but couldn't move. Lee's eyes flew open when a hard thrust made his whole body vibrate with unwelcomed pleasure.

"WAH…AH!" Lee screamed. This man…was _grinding_ against him.

"Lee…" the man groaned. Lee knew that voice. It was…

"Alright, enough! Leave the punk alone and get back in line!" The officer yelled as he shooed all of Lee's offenders away. When all the other bodies removed themselves from around him the room grew calm again. The air was littered with silent sobs from the huddled teenager on the floor. Lee was shaking uncontrollably with his arms constructed over his bare chest with his chin tucked into his neck. He had just been violated… He gave out a ear shattering scream as the officer tried to hook his arm under Lee's tightly crossed ones.

"Get over yourself kid. Get up!" Lee kicked and cried, the boy from the bus yanked Lee by his elbow. Lee hesitantly blinked. He was so fragile looking, like a woman. It never occurred to Lee that the boy was strong enough to lift someone twice his size. Lee was surprised that the boy was able to get him on his feet with one move.

"Hmph." The officer walked back to his post, still eyeing the shaky teen in front of him. "Alright ladies, you know the rules. Turn around." They did so. "Raise your hands to the sky and touch your toes." Lee raised his hands but hesitated with the bending over factor. He had just been molested, he felt uneasy with this whole 'inspection' but he was too afraid to disobey orders again. When Lee dropped his upper body the only thing in his sight was his wiggling toes. They were nervous like him. Lee hesitantly looked over his arm to peer at the boy next to him. He wasn't surprised to find the boy staring back at him. Lee weakly nodded, a sign of his gratitude. Who knows what that officer would have done to him if the boy hadn't come to his rescue. He really owed him one.

They were then asked to cough twice, widening the puckered hole, giving the man a view of their inner walls… The sound of a glove snapping onto a hand caused the atmosphere to tense. A few grunts were heard as some prisoners were violated. Lee heard the officer say something about it being their fault for carrying drugs and lighters. Lee now understood why his question was left unanswered. He would have never guessed in a million years that people shoved things up _there _to conceal illegal items…

Various items were taken up, keys, lighters, cigarettes and weird looking herbs that were zipped up tight in some kind of transparent bag. Lee didn't know what was in those bags but he had an idea. After the officer finished categorizing the items and the criminals responsible for their arrival, he instructed everyone else to put their clothes back on. The officer eyed Lee and then the tattered clothing littering the concrete floor. He huffed and ordered one of the criminals responsible for carrying in something, to strip out of his jumper and give it to Lee. Lee flinched when the garment was tossed at his bare chest. He quickly dressed, giving no time for someone to run their eyes over his body again. After throwing their shoes back on, they were followed back up the flights of stairs and dropped off into the appropriate cells. It was an understatement to say that Lee was exhausted. He was mentally drained…physically drained…he was drained of everything he possessed. He slowly passed his cellmate by and faced his bunk. He let himself fall onto it with a tired groan. The static feeling was back.

"We're going to be released into the yard after lunch."Gaara said. His voice was blunt, not amused and harsh like yesterday. Lee was thankful about that. Maybe his cellmate wasn't the sanest man, but he was probably the most stable of the bunch. Lee heard Gaara's bunk squeak with relief. He was standing behind him with his hands tucked down into his jumper's wide pockets.

"Sit at my table and learn a few things." He remained a moment longer at Lee's back before slowly shifting his attention to the jail gate. It receded into the wall with the same shrill noise that made Lee's ears ring. He heard Gaara's sluggish movements as he exited the cell, probably making his way to the cafeteria.

"Lunch." An officer yelled from the bottom floor. Lee winced. Why did the upper floors have to be open? The arrangement of the prison was set up like a spiraling stair case. The jail acted like a cube. On the inside of this cube, each face had four cells on it, inhabiting criminals of all sorts. This cube was topped with another cube holding cells on each face. These were the other individual floors. Now, the cubes are stacked. Say a smaller cube was dropped in the middle of this stack, and crashed through all of the floors. A hole is left in the shape of a perfect square. Now, there is a limited walkway, a square walkway. If a criminal on the very top floor walks out of his cell, he could look down and see the floor of the prison. Lee hated this about the prison. An officer could address everyone at the same time and be very annoying. Lee didn't want to get up and go to the cafeteria; he didn't even know where it was. He slowly got to his feet and dragged his feet on the concrete floor. Prisoners were making their way down the spiral stair case. He peeked over the railing and saw a striking shade of red in the crowd. Gaara… He'd just follow the crowd and meet him in the cafeteria like he was told. Lee didn't know anything about jail food. He supposed it was grey gruel like the movies predicted. He began following the anxious crowd. He didn't know what the yard was either, but Gaara would tell him soon enough.

Day two was only just beginning.

**YAY! Hey, tell me what you think. Don't you want to know what Tenten did to Sai and Sakura after she blacked out? Aren't you curious about the mysterious Gaara? If your answer is yes, then stay tuned for chapter 5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


	5. Prison:Day Two Part II

Chapter 5:

Prison Day Two: part II

How did she land herself in the principle office? Tenten took in her surroundings with mild interest. The trophies lining the window sill gleamed under the afternoon sun. The glare from the golden ornaments flashed her whenever she tilted her head. She gave up with reading the labels when her eyes began to sting from the offending light.

She ran her eyes across the principles desk. Various photos were placed at odd angles. Other certificates and half finished replies to parent letters were littered among other things she believed to be personal belongs. She scoffed at the sight of bills and I-owe-you tabs. A slick yellow bottle with faded letters stood tall over the scattered papers. In black ink it spelled 'Liqu' the rest died down into a gray hue of blurry characters. It was on the verge of falling over and spilling its unknown contents on important documents. Whoever was sitting at that desk must have been crazy to leave their crap lying around in a pigsty. Some principle… Tenten sat still for another odd moment, waiting for something to happen. As the silence weighed the atmosphere, soft ticking of the minute hand peeved Tenten's curiosity. She had just been arguing with Lee's ex-girlfriend Sakura and her new boy toy Sai. She gnawed her lip nervously.

What happened? She was still at school and sitting in the principal's office. Maybe she fainted…maybe she didn't blackout in the violent way she was familiar with. Thinking back on it, she remembered storming out of first period to scold the deceiving lovers.

_Tick Tock_

Time. What time is it? She whipped her head around to stare into the clocks face. The cardboard arrow directed its attention to the Roman numeral XI. Eleven. It was exactly eleven o'clock. Home room had long ago ended. She hesitantly eyed the cracked door shadowed by her back. After skittish moments of waiting for the principle to rush in screaming hell about her actions, Tenten decided to call Gai. The phone was right there in front of her. If she got caught, then so be it. She was already in trouble. If she called him up from the principal's office, he'd surely come speeding in his truck to her rescue. The dry eerie noise of the door cried a screechy tune just as Tenten scooted to the edge of her seat, preparing to reach for the coiled phone cord. She snatched her hand back, cursing under her breath as the busty blond waltzed in.

The women slowly circled Tenten before taking a seat in her roller chair. She huffed a heavy sigh as her bottom dropped into the velvet cushion. The chair reclined as the woman sank further into the seat with a dry expression of tiredness. Tenten knew she had done it this time… This wasn't her first visit either. And she was tired of seeing Tsunades face. Every day she was there, finding a new wrinkle, crack, or flaw in the woman's beauty. She knew Tsunade wasn't the age she posed to be…

Tenten guessed by the blonds posture alone, leaned back with her legs crossed and arms in her lap, that her blood was roiled. When Tsunade was angry, she flaunted it. But when she was furious, she's in the most casual of states before she morphs into a violent storm of threats and curse words no child had no business hearing. She could feel vibes of rage from the opposite side of the desk being fanned her way by the air vents.

"…I'm sorry." Tenten heard herself say. She always started her days in Tsunades office with an immediate apology. It shortened the lengthy lecture she already had memorized. Emotion was not tied to her words. Her apologies were as good as dry leaves being tossed to a blazing fire. Her words were empty and filled with no regret. Tenten wasn't sure what she did, but she didn't need glasses to see that it was bad. Tsunades face said it all.

A blond eyebrow twitched, almost gesturing, "Do you even know how much trouble you're in?"

Tenten silently nodded and stared down at the strewn documents glazing the desktop. It was in desperate need of a makeover.

"My anger got the best of me-

"Really? Anyone with eyes can see that. The whole school did for a matter of fact."

Tenten froze. Her gut scrunched up into a tight ball at the mention of _'the whole school'_. What did she do?

"What?"

"You know what."

Tenten couldn't bring herself to say she blacked out. A woman of Tsunades stature didn't believe in stories resembling tall tales…

"You're lucky the brat didn't press charges! If you ask me, you should be sitting in a jail cell rotting away!" Tsunade looked her age when she yelled and bickered. She acted like some old bat in a mental ward suffering from violent mood swings.

Tenten twitched. _Press charges? _Certainly a few punches were thrown, but people didn't haul you off to prison for minor fist fighting. Sai didn't seem like the type to tattle about a few purple bruises. What had she done to deserve to go to jail? What was Tsunade fussing about?

"Students don't go around stabbing people with pencils! You could have killed 'em… What if you punctured an organ?"

_"What?"_ Tenten sat up and gripped the arms of her chair.

"You know what!" The woman screamed, throwing her head to the ceiling with a frustrated growl.

"Sai's in the hospital with a pencil screwed in his side. Only the cheap eraser's sticking out! I don't know how those doctors plan to remove the damn thing without him bleeding all over the operating table."

She snatched the bottle of 'liqu' tittering on the edge of the mahogany desk. "I need a drink." She groaned breathlessly.

Tenten melted into the hard plastic seat. She was almost sickened at how calm she felt, relieved even, about her predicament. She was more surprised at the news than anything.

"I'm suspending you for the rest of the year." Tsunade said after a swig of alcohol.

"What? But I'm graduating in three weeks!" Tenten shrieked, finally feeling emotions swelling inside her chest. This woman could not be serious.

The drained woman fiddled with the white envelopes littering her desk. They were supposed to be used for the parent letters already set out, but she snagged one up with a manicured hand. She shifted her weight so she could have space to operate. Under crisp white documents lay crumpled wads of notebook paper. Many utensils were dispersed among the loosely spread items. Tsunade plucked the fountain pen from its spot beside her crooked name tag. With the rumpled paper and dying ink pen, she put her fingers to work. She scrawled, what Tenten hoped was illegible, a hate letter. Tenten could only hope it was.

Tsunade's pen tapped against the paper with brute force. The scratchy noise was beginning to grate Tenten's nerves. She sat up in her chair and prepared to deliver a real apology.

"Please…I'm _so_ sorry-

"Well then, I guess you better make this problem disappear."

"I wi-

"Until Sai, the rest of the student body, administration and school board write me a teary ass letter forgiving you, you are out of here!" Tsunade roughly pounded the scribbled up paper into the popped envelop mouth. She pressed it closed without bothering to lick the seal. She threw the note into Tenten's shaky lap.

She leaned back in her chair, completely drained of her mental strength. A tired sigh passed her lips. She finger combed a loose lock of blonde hair and said in a dry hum, "I called your dad. He's waiting outside in the parking lot. You can give him that letter and explain to him why you're being expelled."

…

…

The cafeteria was racked with odors from body perspiration and must. Lee scrunched his nose at the wafting scent. The smell did not mix well with the mist of food. Lee was completely turned off by the trays of passing inmates. The food wasn't grey and gooey like Tenten had once described.

A crimson spike was the root of all his curiosity. Gaara's head poked from the crowd. He was stationed at a grey table with ridgedty legs. Gaara was no gentlemen. His posture was bent in every way it shouldn't. He was slouching over his tray with his elbows firmly placed beside it. He calmly sat, chewing on a meager piece of burnt toast waiting for his cellmate. Lee was not the type to keep someone waiting. He navigated around the flowing traffic pouring from the lunch line. He snuck pass familiar faces.

"…" Gaara didn't glance at the shadow overhead. Scudding down the long seat, he made room for Lee.

"Sit." He commanded.

Lee sat down quickly, just as he was instructed. Lee glanced down at the tray in front of him. A plump wad of meat topped with a pasty tomato sauce was smashed beside salted mash potatoes. Lee figured that Gaara hadn't thought to drag his food across the table with him.

"Eat." Came another blunt demand. Lee hesitated with the fork in his grip. Regardless of his fragile mind, he managed to cut a crooked triangle out of the meat loaf and held it to his lips. The smell of unwashed bodies glided down his throat as he swallowed. Firm fingers gripped Lee's food swollen cheeks and tugged them down to Gaara's eye level. Lee's eyes darted to trays and prisoners in a panic. He didn't know why Gaara was being forceful, he already had his attention.

"See him…" Gaara extended a keen finger to a bulky man currently groping his prey by the hips. "He's part of a notorious gang of thugs…you look at him the wrong way and he'll skin you." Lee choked on his food. The man Gaara mentioned happened to be the same inmate who tormented him on his first day. He could still smell the cheese on his breath… Gaara's grip loosened, his hand ran themselves from Lee's cheeks to his chin. As if deciding to let go of Lee's chin, the digits removed themselves promptly. Lee rubbed at reddened cheeks. He wouldn't be surprised if Gaara's possessive hold left fingerprints...

Gaara scanned the eatery again, this time with clinical study. He was pinpointing people.

Gaara nodded upward, signaling Lee to perk his ears and listen again, "That man there…" Lee swallowed a mouthful of potatoes at the sight of a familiar face. Interrupting the redhead he exclaimed,"Dat's dah giya fwum tah bush." spewing bits of pre-chewed meatloaf , Lee pointed an accusing finger at a boy he had recently encountered. The boy was indeed from the bus.

"That is Haku, Z-" Gaara's critiquing died short of breath. An uncomfortable silence filled the gap between them. Lee finished Gaara's food and concentrated on the boy across the cafeteria. "Haku…so that is your name…"Lee whispered unconsciously. Lee contemplated a while longer before getting to his feet. Gaara was not going to be speaking anytime soon. His blank stare was far and distant. His cellmate was detached and completely transfixed in his own world. The way Gaara was looking out over the glass door with his lips slightly parted…he was having an epiphany. Lee figured this was an opportunity to break away from the possessive male and march over toward Haku. He hadn't been able to thank the boy properly, but now that he knew his name, there was no better time to do it. When Lee's footing was grounded, he began strolling along the edge of the grey table. He was moving but was getting nowhere fast. A burning squeeze flashed his wrist.

"Where are you going?" Gaara wasn't looking at Lee. Instead, his eyes were fixated on the black haired male only three tables down. Haku was talking shyly to a larger inmate, seemingly flirting with him.

"Haku is my friend."Lee mumbled. He tried to rend his hand out of the redheads grasp, but his worn fatigue was taking its toll.

"Do not talk to him."Gaara muttered.

"Why?" Lee snapped, breaking Gaara's hold in the process of throwing his hands up.

Gaara stood up from the table in a calm matter. He was leveled at Lee's nose. As if daring him, the redhead balled a fist into Lee's jumper, wringing the cloth dry of sweat. Intimidating jade bore into onyx.

"Do _not_ talk to him." Gaara's words were low and raspy. Lee's eyes trembled slightly. Static crawled up his spine at a dangerous pace. The whole cafeteria was staring at them.

"Why?"

Gaara glanced at Haku from afar. Haku threw his eyes to the floor, not wanting to agitate the already roused redhead. The man next to Haku glared at Gaara from over Haku's hair. His head was resting against the grey wall behind him. Haku was mounted on his knee like a child, ready for the knee to bob and bounce him.

"He is Zabuza's tool," Gaara dropped his fist, loosening the wrinkles put in Lee's jumper. "You won't get in two feet of him while he's around." Gaara made his way through the tense crowd. Silence lingered for another moment before the prisoners started finishing unsettled business. Lee stared at his worn shoes, tempted to watch them move in the direction Gaara left.

The police man who came to his rescue on the first night called attention to the inmates.

"The gate for the yard is open. Get in line!" The man aimed his nightstick at the double doors. Everyone, almost at once, formulated in the middle of the cafeteria in a crooked line, waiting to be escorted to the yard. Lee trudged into the line at a snail's pace. Lee decided that Gaara was overreacting. People can't own each other. Haku was capable of defending himself. Lee knew for a fact that Haku was stronger than he posed to be. Lee could not bring himself to think of Haku as someone's lackey. The thought didn't seem plausible.

The sirens glowed and swirled, spotting the bland walls with white lights. The line marched on, despite its crooked posture. Gaara was not in Lee's range of sight. He knew his cellmate was storming about, but he didn't know where. Gaara acted as a guide to the prison; he motioned around the tricks and turns, he swerved out of dangers way, and he knew the inner workings of the jail. Lee was lost without his guide, especially out in the open field. A huge plain of sand greeted him. It almost looked like an underdeveloped football field, with the bleachers perched up on either side of the court. The inmates behind him navigated around his hips and into the open space. The air was crisp and dry. Every time he swallowed air, it made cough and sputter. His eyes watered in response to the allergenic atmosphere. With sand particles floating about the air, he doubted that he'd enjoy leaving his cell very often.

"This is the yard?"Lee whispered to himself.

"Yes."Came a voice. Lee whipped his head around to find Haku's nose in his personal space. Lee wondered if he stuck out in the crowd, because everywhere he landed, Haku was right around the corner.

"Oh…h-hello Haku."Lee stuttered with a forced smile. "Have you seen Gaara?" he heard himself ask.

Haku snorted and combed his long fingers through his lush curls. "I don't care where he went." Lee stepped back at the response. What did Haku have against his cellmate? "Well um...thank you for earlier." Haku waved off Lee's courtesy and smiled. After a time, Lee scratched the back of his neck nervously, unsure of what to say.

"Remember what I told you on the bus?" Haku inquired, leaning even more into Lee's personal space. Lee frowned at Haku's behavior. He was showy and girly…almost like the gossip blond from school. He recalled her name to be Ino.

"Well?"Haku was growing annoyed with Lee's unresponsiveness.

"I said people like you don't last long without…" Haku bit his lip, not savagely like he demonstrated on the bus, but playfully, as if he was expecting Lee to fill in the blank.

"I…do not know."Lee admitted. He wasn't in the mood to play guessing games. He was recently enduring a game called 'hide and seek'. His search of 'find the grim redhead' wasn't going so well. Lee wanted to kick himself. Lee did not understand why he was having difficulties spying a speck of red in the crowd. Where _was_ Gaara?

"I came here three years ago." Lee swallowed, unsure of where Haku was getting at. He was finding it hard not to shudder under Haku's piercing gaze. Haku was being personal with him and he didn't know why.

"I didn't want to face prison without protection…" He looked up into Lee's face, trying to grasp some understanding from his eyes. He received confusion from the tall teen and grumbled under his breath.

"Lee…if you don't have a killer instinct, you're not going to make it. You're like me, your eyes…you are a very passionate person." Haku brushed his bangs out of his eyes and swallowed hard. "You need someone else to be strong for you. Do you understand?" Lee took a few steps back, out of Haku's space. "I do not."He responded, now freaked out with Haku's behavior. This was not the boy he met on the bus…this was another side that Lee didn't want to know. The way Haku spoke of survival…was in a desperate context. He had an idea of what the boy was implying, but he didn't want to go down the same route as Haku. Lee stumbled away in a frightened and fragile manner. He needed to find Gaara before he went crazy.

"You won't survive!"Haku called at Lee's back. Lee shook the comment off and continued on in his search for his cellmate.

Lee jumped away from wrestling men. He wasn't sure if they were fighting or playing, but he didn't want to find out. Lee speculated his surroundings. Many inmates were perched up high on the iron bleachers. Some were laid out completely on the bench, sleeping away their free time. Others were slouched over, gambling with rocks or conversing about their experiences in life before being thrown into the slammer. Many zipped and fumbled across the sand, playing sports and rough housing in activities Lee didn't want to comprehend. Despite all this chaos, there was still no sign of Gaara. It's been several minutes of tiresome searching and all he has accomplished doing is strengthening his calf muscles.

"Hey you." Lee shuddered. He knew that voice.

"Neji…please leave me alone." Lee didn't bother turning around. He could hear soft footsteps gathering around him. They were all blending together into a melodic tune. He didn't like where this was going. He had the sudden urge to run and jump the fence, but fear stopped him. The advancing footsteps ceased in movement behind his shaking heels. Lee knew that not only his shadow lurked behind him, but many others.

"What do you want?"

"You."

In that instant, Lee bolted toward the fence. The wind whipped his face and legs. His heart was desperately trying to break free of his ribcage. The pounding steps of three men were hot on his heels but Lee didn't stop. His feet took one step in front of the other, thundering under his weight and quaking the earth. The soles of his shoes crashed into his bottom, bopping it with every step. When he was running track, he had the leading record, and to his coach's knowledge, he still held the leading time. If his coach could see him now…He would be proud. If he was running on paved concrete, not lung clogging sand, and passing over the white chalk stained line, and not the corner of the bleachers, would he pass his score?

"Ugh!" Lee's legs crashed beneath him. He threw his arms up to save his face from gliding against the gritty platform that was desert. His fatigue was finally taking its toll. The grains glued to his reddened elbows and orange jumper buried his nose in sand. His shoulders shook loosely with each bitter sob escaping his busted lips. His muscles tensed at the gathering of steps.

"You can't out run us."

"Please…leave me alone!"

"No."

"!?" Neji crouched down on his knees to bring his attention do to Lee's level. Pale fingers cupped Lee's sandy chin with a burning grasp. Dull grey lingered on shaky onyx.

"If I don't break you in, someone else will. Wouldn't you rather lose it by someone you know?" Tears rained over sand, washing the grime away into Neji's possessive grip.

"N-no!"Lee hiccupped. He didn't know Neji. Seeing him twice did not make them friends.

"You have no say in the matter. If you participate, you may enjoy it." Lee knew what he was saying. He wrenched his head back in a desperate attempt to get loose, but Neji yanked him back to eye level and smashed their lips together. Teeth on teeth hurt. Lee's screams were swallowed by the offending lips forcing them together. The two men standing by crouched down next to Neji, awaiting orders. Lee let out a pained cry when Neji's lips let up. Lee roughly dragged the back side of his hand across his lips. Slob glistened in the sun. Yelping in protest, Lee's vision sped by in a flurry of bleacher steps and swirling clouds. Sand fluffed up under him as his whole body crashed to the desert floor. The two men had him pinned by both arms. They dragged them up over his head and bounded them with thin string. Lee kicked his legs out in an attempt to break free of Neji's grip on his waist. With all the strength he could muster, Lee kicked his leg out. He originally aimed for the males pale chest, but managed to strike Neji's abdomen instead; Neji snaked a fist to his side. Lee coughed up spit in a silent gag. He huffed, swinging his leg out again at the male trying to straddle him. He hissed at the tingling pain racing up his ankles as they clicked together, caught and choked by Neji's hand. In that moment, Lee felt like dying. His end was nearing, it had to be. Why else was he suffering so? Why was he being punished? Gai had always told him he had a guardian angel. Golden dust fluttered off their grand wings as they swarmed around him, leaving a misty halo in their tracks. Misfortunes weren't likely to fall upon those guided by one, but when their backs were turned, anything and everything wrong was bound to befall you. The two men assisting Lee's molester wrenched his orange jumper apart in one fatal tug. Lee watched, half expecting to be stabbed. _His angels turned their wings toward his face. _ Neji rendered him of his plaid boxers and hastily pounded them into his wet mouth. _Their wings flapped and fluttered, fanning him with their yellow dust._ Neji's sweaty palms throbbed as he quickly snapped the buckle from his loose waist. _They circled around his dizzy head and slowly descended toward the sky, breaking the clouds and entering heaven's gate, leaving him, expecting him to follow their trail of dust._ Neji situated himself at Lee's entrance with greed glowing though his pale pupils. Lee didn't scream nor cry. He sat, waiting for the pain to come and subside. Neji grabbed Lee's member and massaged the tip, as if contemplating what he wanted to do with the stiff boy first.

"I want you so bad Lee…"

"…"

Neji squeezed a muffled groan out of the limp teen. Lee's vision grew grey and fizzy. His stomach dropped at the feeling of his meatloaf coming up. He was so tired… He was exhausted from his previous brawl the night before. Ever since that man smashed him into the concrete wall, his nerves flew into frenzy. The smallest hint of movement he spied in the corner of his eye, the softest sound of footsteps, and the curling air on his neck sent him into a panic. A faint touch could very well be the death of him.

The tight grip on his shaft made him squirm uncomfortable under gruff hands on his chest. He weakly shifted his weight, wiggling his arms under tightly wrapped bounds. He didn't have any more fight in him. He wanted desperately to rest his pounding heart and his brain splitting headache, if only for a second.

"S-save me…"

Neji frowned and pressed his eyebrows together in an attempt to scare Lee stiff, but nothing came of it. Lee's face was tear stricken and swollen.

"Someone…"He whined softly.

The heat wave blurred his vision. He was so tired, he was seeing things. A red blob was emerging from the sand dunes in the distance…It was growing bold and vibrant…it was swerving out from left to right. The tension in the area was spiking up in increasing static. The sand whipped mercilessly at the approaching males low riding jumper. Lee's chest was granted immediate relief of compact weight. The air was moist with sweat and waves of heat steamed the particles into the clouds. Rustling sand and heavy thuds bounced the earth. The red blur was conquering two blobs twice his size… Neji was…he didn't know where Neji was, but he didn't care. The sand settled down onto the earth once again in a heap of calm grains. Red blocked his vision.

"Stay away from the Hyugas." The low blunt voice could only belong to Gaara. Lee felt his face flush. He felt so relieved to be near him… more relieved than he'd felt in days.

"…Gaara."He said in a raspy voice.

Lee couldn't see clearly, but Gaara's head was tilted. He was looking at-

"Wah! S-sto-"

"You are hard."

Lee struggled in his cellmate's palms. His fingers stretched and poked out from their bondage in sporadic movements. Pleasure was riding his senses wild. Gaara tugged and yanked at his pulsating member, smiling all the while, watching the ebony hair boy squirm and groan under him. He was a bit surprised that Lee wasn't against his advances, but he suspected his partners weary state. Gaara gripped and squeezed Lee tight, driving him on the edge.

"G-Gaara!"Lee yelped. Gaara watched with a smug grin as Lee spilled and orgasmed in his hands, overflowing his palm with hot sticky paste. He brushed Lee's sweaty bangs out of his droopy eyes.

"In exchange for protection…agree to be mine."

Lee tried to blink away the blindness, but Gaara was still a blur of blood red. Lee couldn't tell if he was pulling his leg, but he was growing dizzy and tired to care much. He nodded numbly. The handy he received from Gaara devoured the rest of his strength.

"Say it."

"_You need someone else to be strong for you._

Haku's words came floating back to him in a whisper from the depths of his mind. He didn't have a killer instinct, nor would he ever. He was too diligent, too modest…and passionate. He couldn't defend himself here. Gaara was offering to be his iron fist, and all Lee had to give up in exchange was…

"…I am yours…Gaara." Lee blacked out from sheer exhaustion.

_Do you understand?" _

I think I do understand you…Haku.

**Whoooo!!!! Finally! Now I can stop beating around the bush! Hehehe…yeah I know the lime was fuzzy and so was Gaara's entrance, but I had to rush this (I didn't mean to but my time on the laptop is limited o 0) Sorry *sweat drop* Now, to get to the real plot! XD R&R**


	6. Day of Change

**Switched P.O.V to Gaara and Gai then Lee (you'll be able to tell) XD! The song All We Know belongs to Paramore. Have fun!**

Gaara watched Lee suck in every breath of air as he slept. His chest rose only to fall again. Gaara laced his long fingers through Lee's lush hair with faint curiosity at how shiny it was. The dark bags under Lee's long lashes concealed no secret. His cheeks were swollen purple. His lips cracked slightly at the edges when his mouth parted. His chest glowed intensely with a flaming hue of red and his back was gritty with desert sand. Gaara glared at the marks dominating his prize possession. Lee's condition made him feel guilty.

The day ensured to be a tough one the moment Gaara broke away from his cellmate in the cafeteria. It was only the boys second day here and all hell had rained on him. Gaara combed loose strands from Lee's forehead and sighed softly, thinking of ways he could have avoided this. If he had inquired about Lee's previous activities in prison and learned of his encounter with the Hyuga, he would have strapped Lee to his hip, not leaving a crack of space between them.

Gaara clutched a wad of black hair and growled lowly to himself, "Hyuga…"

How Neji managed to get away was a mystery of life. Gaara managed to pin down the other men harassing Lee, but somehow Neji managed to slip out of his sight. The Hyuga probably jumped into the crowd of inmates retreating into the prison gates. The lucky bastard… Gaara supposed that it was his own fault for letting the Hyuga slip away. His attention was focused on Lee and how to get him back into the prison.

Lee was bare and his uniform laid beside him sprinkled around in the shifting sands. He striped one of the men he had given a broken nose and leg to. Gaara removed the wadded up boxers from Lee's lips and unfastened the string binding his wrists. Blood was left as an imprint… All Lee's weight was concentrated, as if he was nothing but a dead carcass. Gaara ignored the heaviness and hurriedly suited up Lee's tired body and slung a heavy arm on one shoulder. He then brought an arm around Lee's waist and gripped at the feeble belt loops to compensate the support for lower half. He trailed behind the late stragglers that usually waited for most of the crowd to clear out. He retreated back to the prison entrance without so much as an awkward glance from one of the patrol men on duty at the gate.

Lee was causing all kinds of problems for Gaara… He didn't know why he saved Lee in the first place. He didn't exactly find the boy all that attractive. In fact, Lee came below the ordinary standards of 'handsome.' In the small time frame Gaara has spent with Lee, he's gathered quite a bit of information on his cellmate. Lees shy antics and courtesy led Gaara to believe that he had a set mind. He seemed to be so positive at the oddest moments, like when he goes to the restroom. He would shyly urge Gaara to look away and state something along the lines of staring being rude. The boy has probably never cursed in his entire life. Gaara was surprised and a little excited the very moment he walked into his cell to find it occupied by another delinquent his age. After placing all the information together, Lee just didn't belong in the prison setting. A vibrant teenager in a dull grey room with the kanji 'love' carved into the stone walls didn't make sense. Lee was probably sentenced for something he didn't commit…or didn't mean to commit. It was rare to see kids his age roaming the prison. Haku was the only other teenager besides himself, and Haku has been walking the prison floor longer than he has. Why was someone so innocent like Lee, in maximum security prison? Teenagers in maximum security prison were either convicted for selling drugs, gang violence, or first degree murder. It wasn't in Lee's character to do something so horrible.

Gaara softly clutched Lee's shoulders, debating whether or not to wake him. He needed an answer. Why was Lee in prison, and how long was he sentenced? Rattling bars made Gaara turn his attention to the cell gate.

"Gaara!"

Gaara stared at the officer gripping the metal bars of his cell, "What?"He said, obviously annoyed.

"I've got a plan to get you out of here. You can expect to be out in a little less than a year!" The officer whispered, expecting a reaction out of the red head.

Gaara's lip twitched for a second, but quickly faltered into a grim frown. "You've been saying that for seven years now…"

"I know…but I'm serious this time." The officer watched Gaara swift slightly, accommodating the boy's weight on his chest, "Father's going to retire soon. Once that happens, I'll be the new warden, but that won't be until 9 months from now."

Gaara tightened his grip on Lee's jumper, juggling a possible life-long conviction.

"Listen, if you just tell him that it wasn't you who killed that kid, he'll have no choice but to listen and reopen your case."

"If it was that simple Kankuro, I'd be out by now."

"But the evidence proves you didn't do it!"

"It proves that I was there when the murder took place."

"Then…he can't keep you locked up. If you're not holding information he can't keep you here, right?"

"…"

"Oh my god…" Kankuro paused to stare his brother in the face. He watched Gaara's tense movements. Gripping at Lee's jumper with more vice than before, he stretched the dingy orange fabric out of place. Gaara glared at the ebony mop of hair on his shoulder, a glare so fearsome it could set anything aflame.

"...do you know something?"

"…"

"Gaara…this is big! Just tell the old man who did it and you're home free!"

"Leave me alone."

The officer's excited smile dropped at his brother response. "What?"

"Leave."

The officer squeezed the bars until his knuckles turned white. "Why are you protecting them? They could have left the state, fearing that you told!" The quick glare he received from Gaara told him he was dismissed. He let out an angry grunt before pushing off the bars. They rattled from the force. The man shook his head and slowly backed away from the rusty cage. "When the newspaper heading reads 'Kid dies in prison', people aren't going to see Gaara Sabaku, an innocent 17 year old who didn't belong in jail. All they'll see is a murderer. They're going to resent you. They'll cheer, happy that a murderer has been taken out of their world!" Kankuro snatched his police hat from his belt holster and smashed it down on his wild hair. Anger radiated off of him in waves as he marched off, ignoring a saluting patrolman as he made his way down the winding stair case.

Gaara loosened his grip on Lee's hair and breathed in his scent. "…I can't tell, "He whispered under his breath, "They'll kill you if I tell…"

…

…

…

Gai didn't look at Tenten the whole ride home. He has told her time and time again not to let her anger drive her course of action. He wanted to say something, but decided against it. Seeing how she constantly steps over his rules, he decided that words can only do so much. Tenten just got expelled. All he can do is accept this simple fact. Although he did want to inquire about _how_ she got expelled, his six attempts at asking her this were drowned in the sea of music booming out of the truck radio. When Tenten pumps the volume up to max, she's really steaming mad and hasn't got out half of her fury yet. A song by Paramore swelled around them when Tenten said in a low voice, "Are you mad at me..?"

"…No. I'm disappointed in you."

_We've tried so hard to understand, but we can't.  
We held the world out in our hands and you ran away._

"I'm going to have to wait for graduation…as a nineteen year old, huh?"

"Yeah…"

"Well," Tenten chimed in a cracked voice trying to bring her pitch an octave higher to seem happy, but her attempt convinced Gai that she was hurt by this in more ways than one, "I have a lot of spare time now. I can take up Lee's role and help you around the house and stuff." Tenten turned the dial on the stereo, lowering the volume to an appropriate level. Although she did this, all they could hear was a dull humming noise. She tried to quirk her frown up a notch, but failed. "Since I don't have school to drive me down anymore, we can visit Lee sometime?" her voice carried a hint of hope.

_It takes some time to let you go and it shows._

"Yes…that sounds nice. We'll visit Lee." Gai could feel a grin forming. He could see the hope pounding through Tenten's body language through the rearview mirror, like lightning zapping a conductor pole, transferring all its powerful energy into the small gadget. Tenten was like that gadget, absorbing all things positive when Lee's name was spoken, giving her a new refreshed feeling when she breathed.

_Cause all we know is falling, it falls.  
Remember, cause I know that we won't forget at all._

"We'll visit him tomorrow okay? I hear it's a long drive so we'll have to start our journey early in the morning."

"Sounds good." Tenten said softly, truly excited about seeing her cousin for the first time in what felt like years.

…

…

…

Lee woke up to an empty cell. He was once again greeted by the tattooed wall design. The word marking the walls pecked at Lee's curiosity. He wondered why Gaara carved the same thing into the wall over and over again. The kanji varied in sizes all across the stone walls. Love was sketched crazily above the toilet like a crazy knife maker had gone mad and decided to put all his creations to work. Gaara's cell looked like an insane child's bedroom. Gaara seemed like such an angry person when he first came to the prison, but now, when Lee mustered up Gaara's image, all he got was a lonely child waiting for love to surround him.

This angry boy, Gaara, saved him from rape. And that is all Gaara had to do to win Lee's respect. Lee admired his cellmate's fearsomeness, but he himself was a little afraid of Gaara too… Is this what Haku meant? To live in fear of the one whom he owed his life too? For him to live as Gaara's slave and do as he was told when instructed to do it? Lee did not want to live his life in prison this way, but after the day's events, he would gladly give himself to Gaara ten times over if it was for his benefit. It was better to be one guys play thing than the whole prisons toy right? As much as he wanted to believe this to be true, it was not. Feeding himself a lie would only shove him deeper into the hole he was digging. Gaara was no one's play thing, and he was managing a life in prison on reputation alone. Lee vaguely wondered if Gaara had to spill blood just to relieve himself of the nonsense that went on in the prison. Lee wouldn't put it past him if he did.

Speaking of Gaara, where was he? Lee's confused thoughts were thrown into a panic when a blunt noise sounded around the cramped room. He whipped his head around to stare at the officer banging on the cell bars with his nightstick, clearly agitated. The bars shimmered like a tuning fork once the man left them to vibrate with the absence of his nightstick. The man looked familiar…like the man who helped him on his first day.

_Good luck_

"Thank you!" Lee heard himself shout. He couldn't exactly put his finger on it, but he felt that this officer helped him in more ways than one. He deserved a thank you, and before Lee realized this, the words came booming out of him. "Thank you…"He said again, in a hushed manner. The officer was taken back a bit. The man blinked at how loud Lee was. He straightened up and said, "Uh…your welcome?" Lee let a faint smile pass his lips.

"Where is my cellmate?"Lee inquired, truly concerned. How was he supposed to survive the rest of the day without Gaara around? "In the showers…"The man scratched the back of his neck nervously, not exactly comfortable with talking about such a personal concept with an inmate. "We round up one jail bird from every cell and escort them down to the locker rooms. They'll be returning soon." The man peeked at Lee from the corner of his eye. Lee wasn't even looking at him. He was shivering off and on, as if a small spasm passed through his system. The man continued and tried to dismiss the strange behave of the young inmate. "We're on our second round for today and I've come to haul you down to the showers… You look like you need one." Lee nodded at the small comment and shifted uncomfortably as he was told to stand. The cell receded into the wall and the officer signaled Lee with his hand to follow.

Through the transparent glass, Lee was able to make out bodies of inmates. He turned his head at the sight of Haku's owner… He was an older man, presumably in his late 20's. He was muscled and tan. It made him wonder if Haku was rescued in the same fashion as he was. Did Haku just run up to the man and say "I'll be yours if you protect me" or was he actually saved. He didn't think it was any of his business anyway, so he dismissed the thought altogether.

Water ran down a pale back in thin strands like a stream. The droplets mapped out hidden muscles as they formed with their brethren before falling to the sinks drain. Lee felt himself staring before jade stole his attention. He squeaked and looked away. Gaara… He was leaving out of the huge shower stall when he caught Lee's eyes on him.

Lee's cheeks were on fire when he was escorted into the shower locker rooms. "Strip your jumper off and head through that door there," The officer pointed at the glass door Gaara and Zabuza's group was leaving out of. They disappeared behind a concrete wall, probably to a different locker room. "The bar of soap is near the shower head, just don't drop it." Lee nodded at the advice. He'd make sure not to drop the soap, definitely. The officer left Lee to himself in the locker room. Lee was surrounded by other burly men that were escorted to the room with him. He quickly stripped out of his jumper. He looked at it before shoving it into the ratty locker in front of him. Lee gave his suit a quick scan before tossing it aside. He frowned. It was all wrinkled and pale, like it was drained of all the orange hue that it once possessed. It was similar to the color of ketchup and mayo swirled together by a French fry. This was not his jumper… There was some crusted blood on the sleeve. He grimaced and shoved the garment into the locker. He ran to the door the officer had pointed to. A tanned boy with wild ebony hair stared back at him. His face cheeks were purple and his lips were dry, cracked at the edges. Red marks lined the most sensitive parts of his upper body. They were littered everywhere and stopped right before his abs. His glass reflection made him jump back into another inmate. That inmate grunted and shoved Lee into the wall, and continued through the entrance. Lee was now out of the way of flowing traffic, but he squeezed back into the line and once he was inside of the spacious shower, he claimed a shower head and its bar of soap.

He proceeded in scrubbing his chest first, it was soar and the hickey marks didn't help camouflage the redness… From his neck to his collar bone there were hickey marks. His shoulder was sporting the same misshapen circles. Did Gaara do this to him in his sleep..? Lee's face rivaled the color of Gaara's hair at the very thought.

Brown gritty water spilled off of him and raced into the drainage hole in the floor. He didn't think he was this filthy... He didn't know that prisons did not provide bathing towels. He vigorously rubbed the soap in between his palms, letting the sudsy bubbles lather his hands. He gripped the soap to hard and it escaped him. With a deafening 'thud', Lee blinked, feeling like the biggest idiot on the face of the world. He dropped the soap. The soap! All activity ceased upon hearing the soap hit the shower floor. The inmates looked and then, almost immediately, they dismissed Lee's clumsiness and went back to scrubbing their bodies. Lee couldn't believe it. Hesitantly, he laced his fingers around the white oval bar of soap, which was now dented on one side. All the hickeys on his body just screamed that he was owned by someone bigger and bad than them. They all know that he was taken, and that if they got in one foot of him, they'd be in trouble with Lee's owner. Gaara.

Lee felt his lips threatening to twitch up into a happy grin. He could get used to this kind of treatment… Once the crooked thought assembled in his head, he thought he'd gone insane, but he didn't care. He rinsed off, eager to run back to the lockers and jump into his suit and makes his way up the long winding steps until he reached the cell he shared with Gaara. He was going to thank the boy and go to sleep, ready to start a new day filled with positive beginnings. The water that ran into the drain was clear now, a sign that he was clean. With the water slipping into the devouring mouth of the drain, so did all of Lee's problems. Tomorrow would be a new start, he could feel it.

**Heheh! The plot is starting to kick in. I **_**know**_** that you're wondering how Gaara got into prison. What's his story? Well, looks like you'll have to wait a few chapters, hm? XD I'm evil, I know.**


	7. The Hole and Visitors

**~Week NO. 3~**

"Lee…" Gaara grunted, clearly running low on patience. "Tilt you head back." Lee squirmed for a moment before complying with his cellmates command. His ink black hair ruffled and shifted against a flat pillow as he throated small groans. Gaara dragged a rough tongue over Lee's pronounced adams apple before nibbling at the tan delight. Lee had just bathed and now he was drenched in his own sweat. Having his cellmate's body heat radiate into his pours didn't help his temperature go down. The searing pinch of teeth nipping and sucking at his throat brought shivers crawling up his spine. When the troublesome teeth broke away from flesh, the breath catching relief Lee received was like no other…even breaks after running bases in practice couldn't compare…

Lee immediately arched his neck and let out a surprised yelp at a painful, yet pleasurable sensation.

"No!..Sto-Ah!" A fiery red mass of spiky hair rose off of Lee's heaving chest. "You're sensitive here..?" Lee didn't know when Gaara stopped ministering teeth to his throat, but somehow he has worked his way down to Lee's sweaty chest.

"Please…no more."Lee panted. Lips smirked against his bare torso.

"But they're perky." A tongue flickered against the sandy buds. Lee threw his arms around his shaky shoulders and curled into a tight ball of tan and orange. "Stop it!" he yelled into his chest. Gaara sat up on his elbows and stared into the slick black mop of hair that was Lee's. The boy's whole body shivered and a few hiccups rattled his speech. Lee's voice came out parched and tired, "Please…" Gaara rolled off of his possession and lay in a half stripped jumper with grey sheets strangling his legs. He tilted his head so that he could see Lee with the corner of his eye.

"I _guess_ that's enough to keep them off of you."

"…"

Lee would have never assumed that renewing hickeys was essential to his survival. He glanced at them … so many were tattooed across his top half. Red here…a circle there…they were all over. At first they appeared to be soars, but they did not sting. Lee squeezed his shoulders at the feel of Gaara's breath on his neck. Lee already came to the conclusion that Gaara was responsible for his shower panic. Lee couldn't help but think about his deal with Gaara… Being a slave shouldn't be this difficult. All he was required to perform were Gaara's say-so's and that would ensure his protection, sounds simple enough.

So, why wasn't it?

"Hey." Came Gaara's low voice. Lee hesitated in turning his head, but faced Gaara with ease. Foam green eyes trapped Lee's attention with vice. Lee struggled to keep his dignity intact, but was overcome with nausea, but strangely enough, it wasn't the kind that made a person sick. The feeling he was experiencing…was a familiar kind. He recalled a memory of Sakura in middle school, the first time he laid eyes on her. She had long flowing locks that curled on her shoulders…round green eyes that glowed with a shy innocence and stared with stray judgment. He was experiencing the butterfly sensation… Lee could feel his purple cheeks burning up with obvious emotions.

"…What?"

Gaara slowly stretched his arms out toward Lee. Almost at once, Lee felt himself loosen from his fetal position, and Gaara saw this as an invitation to wrap his arms around Lee's waist. Succeeding in doing this, he secured his hold by folding them upon the other. Lee remained frozen with his hands to his chest and his elbows meeting at his kneecaps. Gaara was hugging him…or so that is what Lee believed he was doing. Receiving a hug from Gaara…was awkward, so much so, that Lee saw Gaara's behavior similar to that of a mere child. The kind of child that threw his hands up to the sky, waiting for someone to lift him from the gravel cracking and withering from beneath his feet…

The longing for contact that children desire so much shone so bright in Gaara's eyes…that Lee almost felt like… he was staring into himself …

As a child he was fragile and feeble minded. It was a moment in time where he loved no one, and was loved by no one… No parents to hug him and no sibling who shared his sorrow. Even with Tenten at his side, all they would have done was bicker and argue, as only children can do. They could not receive the same affections an adult or superior possessed, not from each other anyway.

Lee saw Gaara as that same child… who lifted his arms, but for no one to lift him, and even if someone tried, it was too late… He was already beginning to sink into the earth that was dying beneath his feet...

Lee no longer was a lonely child, he had Gai. But Gaara… He had no one to hug…to talk to…to touch…to kiss…

No one.

And even now, He was starving for someone…_anyone. _

Lee found his body unraveling itself from its tight ball to quietly hug Gaara back. He silently tucked his head under his cellmates chin with his cheek pressed firmly against Gaara's heart, and surprisingly, Gaara's pulse was rapid like his own.

"You are not alone anymore…"

He waited a moment for the awkward tension to die before shifting all his weight to Gaara's side of the outdated mattress. Glued to each other by understood isolation, they slept with calm comfort as night clouded their barred window.

~*~

"Wake up ladies!"

The life jumped into Lee as he jerked awake. He jumped up, banging his head on Gaara's chin. The redhead grunted noisily as he massaged his soar jaw. The sirens flashed and blared in intervals, waking prisoners from left to right. Cries and curses played off their tongues at the rude awakening.

"They're coming…" Gaara said. Lee followed after his cellmate, mimicking his partners standing position.

Lee wondered what their activities would be today…

As an officer approached their cell, the bars rattled as they morphed into the wall, disappearing.

"Rock?" The chubby man said.

"Yes, sir?" Lee stuttered, still groggy from sleep.

The man tapped his pen lazily on the clipboard as he ran his squinted eyes over the list of names, "To the yard with you, son." He threw a thumb at the line forming behind him. Lee peeked warily at Gaara before taking a step out of the cell. Gaara followed in slow pursuit behind Lee's fleeing figure but was held in place by a chubby palm pressed to his chest.

"Not you boy," The officer growled, "you're taking a trip to the Hole." Gaara stood his ground with a glare so fierce that Lee could swear his heart stopped for a second…and the look wasn't aimed for him. The officer stumbled back, swiftly bringing a quivering hand to grip the end of his clipboard. The man cleared his throat nervously as he proceeded to state, "Wait here 'til someone comes for you."

Lee was alarmed when Gaara did not follow in his footsteps. He brought his march to a halt, causing great confusion and mishap in the deformed line of prisoners.

Why couldn't Gaara come?

Before Lee could call out to Gaara, a blunt object stole his voice away. Lee whipped his head back and cried out in pain.

"Keep movin' rookie!" The officer raised his night stick again, but stopped mid swing at the piercing stare Gaara was boring into his forehead. The man hesitated in putting his weapon away. "Punk…" he mumbled under his breath. He yanked Lee up by his faded collar and tossed him back into movement. Lee stumbled before finally grasping some handling on his footing. Never again would he stop in line to voice something…

Sunlight painted Lee's vision with a loud white flash before it slowly subsided into dry desert scenery. Inmates shoved Lee aside as they broke off into different areas of the yard. Lee slowly trudged forward as he stole a glance at the locked double doors behind him.

"Gaara..."

"Lee?" Lee jumped at the voice addressing him. He spun around quickly, fearing the worst. Haku stared up at him, slightly amused looking. Lee immediately felt silly and sick with embarrassment.

"Oh! I…I thought you were someone else." Lee said, suddenly shy around Haku. The boy smiled.

"Who'd you think I was?"

Lee hesitated with his answer, but got close to Haku and cupped a hand to his pale ear, "Neji…"he whispered.

Haku's smile only widened. "Well…that's weird."

Lee furrowed his brow quickly and bit his lip. Did Haku think his predicament was funny? Did he find Lee's worst fear's laughable? The very thought made Lee sick. Haku, noticing Lee's slight disgust, quickly followed his words with an explanation.

"Neji Hyuga, right?" His last name was…

"Hyuga?" Lee wondered aloud. He knew a Hyuga in school. She was timid and like a mouse, she silently tiptoed around every corner from one class to the next. When she first appeared at the school gates, Lee was assigned as her guide by the counselor. He vaguely remembered her mentioning that it would have been her cousin escorting her through the hallways and not him, but he forgot the reason why that was… Were they related? They couldn't be…could they?

"That guy is never here for long. He's always hopping in and out of cells before someone comes to get him."

"Get him..?" Haku stared at Lee for being so naïve and innocent.

"Bail," Haku explained. Lee nodded in understanding, feeling a little flustered with embarrassment. "It's just odd that he went after you. Not many people catch his interest, and he knows a lot of people."

Lee did not take the information lightly. Haku had to be making a big mistake. Haku noticed Lees puzzled face and raised an eyebrow, as if to say, 'Yeah?'

"Haku…I have met a Hyuga once, and she is nothing like Neji. You must be mistaking his last name for another…" Haku shook his head at Lee's statement. Haku obviously did not like to be corrected.

"There is an explanation for that too," Haku ensured, "It's just a rumor, but I heard that the Hyugas branch off into another, separating the family into two. One side is civilized, and the other is a mafia gig that runs an underground society. The mafia is what keeps the Hyugas money flowing... That's why they're often referred to as the 'yin and yang family'."

Lee swallowed hard. How was he supposed to absorb all of this information without his head exploding? Everything here in prison was redefining his outlook on the society he once lived in, even the people in it. What was he supposed to believe? It certainly offered an answer to his question, but at the same time… Lee couldn't believe it. From Haku's explanation, the Hyugas were two-faced indeed, but not Hinata. After experiencing Neji's ministrations, he couldn't help but see Hinata as a huge contradiction.

She came to him one day in school in search of an answer to a question with complete courtesy, timid and wary of her unfamiliar surroundings. Hinata seemed angelic ... So…how did the crooked society of her family's situation leave her so pure? Sakura for one gossiped about Hinata in some degrees of vulgar negativities. She judged her to be acting out her innocent appearance, but Lee doubted that. If Hinata could live with the chaos she faced at home, then she was truly something to marvel at…

A thin hand tugged at Lee's weak jumper, bringing Lee out of his thoughts. Once Haku received Lee's attention, he smiled wickedly, "What's that?" Haku quickly brought a hand to Lee's fragile collar before yanking the garment down to where his collar bone bulged. Lee shrieked and slapped a hand over an exposed hickey gracing the crook of his neck.

"Haku!" Lee whispered loudly. He quickly glanced about only to discover that nearby inmates were too involved in their own activities to care about his display of skin.

"Those are Gaara's I suppose?" Lee fastened his jumper closed with a fist, bringing loose ends together. Never in his life has he been so mortified.

"Don't be ashamed, Lee…" Haku began to undo his own jumper, unzipping it to his navel, revealing an ivory bellybutton. He stripped his left arm of a sleeve, exposing a shoulder littered with red. Lee's mouth found itself agape. Haku dressed himself gracefully, concealing all of his nakedness.

"I specifically told Zabuza to stay off my neck." He smiled, as though he didn't just say something intimate and inappropriate. Lee strangled his jumper's collar with tense fingers; his mind was frazzled and uneasy about his situation and newly acquired knowledge. Lee said nothing, but Haku spoke on.

"Zabuza's never really around much. He always gets into it with Gato's men and ends up at the Hole." Lee's ears perched up like a keen watch dogs at the mention of the _Hole_.

"Gaara…" He found himself saying, "…Gaara is there too."

Haku smiled and pivoted in the direction of the bleachers.

"Everything you want to know, just ask, I've got all the answers…" Haku waltzed toward the metal steps, expecting Lee to mimic his footsteps. It didn't matter how much knowledge Haku claimed to know, he was still a just kid. And naturally… kids find everything funny. Lee felt like he was being toyed with, handled and tormented by Haku's game of 'Guess what?' Lee didn't like playing Haku's game, but without Gaara to confirm his thoughts, what right did he have to doubt? Lee found himself trailing after Haku with a faint fear of being trampled or ambushed by a stampede of inmates. Lee didn't know what to do…but he'd have to trust this boy if he wanted to unravel the questions he had locked up in his throat.

Wherever this event leads Lee…would be the road he falls on.

~*~

"Been awhile since I've seen your sorry ass here." said a gruff officer sporting a scar above his lazy eye. His key's jingled in timely rhythm as he walked cautiously behind a restrained redhead.

Gaara snorted, "The feeling is mutual."

The officer made an ugly comment under his breath, but straightened up when they approached a confined wall made of stone. A slit shaped like a rectangle was embedded in the rough surface. The concrete tomb was intimidating to all prisoners, with the exception of Gaara.

The red head inwardly sighed.

He glared at the container that had held him captive years ago. It looked brittle and weary from being beaten by the sand storms and brutal heat Suna was known for.

Shallow breathing sounded out from the room in short wisps. Gaara grimaced at the thought of sharing a cell with another.

The pink stone door was shoved aside with brute force by two other commanders. The entrance let out arms of heat that choked the redhead's senses with sand. It was like a sauna in there …

"Get in." came the officer's blunt command. Gaara did not budge and dared the man to pull his nightstick out. The officer growled and roared the same command, clearly angry. Gaara smirked, pleased that his disobedience succeeded in aggravating his oppressive officer. It was his routine every time he came to the hole, and not once has it failed.

Gaara slowly inhaled the crisp air that surrounded him before taking a step into the oven like cell. Upon entering, the air was stiff and hot with moisture, presumably steamed sweat that was now particles swimming in the tightly concealed space. Gaara could feel his flesh burning with fever. It's nothing he hasn't experienced before, but every time he returned to the hole, the heat seemed to reach to a higher degree… He never really believed in the warming of the Earth, but he was willing to give the theory some thought.

The scarred officer commanded his fellow men to shove the stone door back into place. As the space in the entrance grew hard with stone, the officer made an unnecessary comment, "Be glad your daddies the warden brat, otherwise your bones would be cooked."

"I could care less." came Gaara's blunt reply.

The inmate in the cell with him let out a dry laugh that quickly turned into a bad cough. The officer growled loudly and lowered his eyes to the square opening. Gaara could tell by the way the man's lazy eye twitched, that he was pissed to the max.

"There are some nasty rumors spreading 'round about you and that delinquent that just arrived. If word reaches your daddy…" The man inched as close as he could to the tray slot to inflict a secretive effect.

"Let's just say I wouldn't be so smug if I were you son..."

The man bellowed a harsh laugh from the pit of his gut at the look gracing Gaara's face. Gaara did not know what to say…not even a smart comment could leave him.

It certainly would be bad news to his father, but…

What rumors? He hasn't heard any, and he was pretty sharp when it came to prison gossip… Was the man lying to him?

The officer snorted and rubbed his nose with a thumb.

"I'll let you think on that, boy."

The sound of footsteps began pacing toward the exit. The other men were retreating back to the prison behind their commander, leaving Gaara and company behind in the stone cylinder surround by desert.

"...It's been a while." said the other man in the cell. He was propped up against the dry stone wall opposite of Gaara. His legs sat crisscross style and his arms draped over them lazily. His head stood tall, held up by the support of the wall. He sported a bad sunburn, but it went unnoticed since he was so brown. The dry skin that was pealing curled up before joining the twisting sand beneath his withering body. He obviously had been sealed inside this hell for quite some time.

"…Zabuza." Gaara breathed. Zabuza tilted his head to get a better look at the redheaded inmate.

"What're you here for, boy." Zabuza's question sounded more like a demand to Gaara. He decided to bow to the small talk since…he wasn't really experienced with it. He'd have to take a breath to steady his thoughts first; he didn't want to say anything stupid to a man of genius like Zabuza, although the man really didn't look the part.

The red head had to search for an answer inside his head. It's been awhile since he was thrown in the hole, but if he remembered correctly, troublesome prisoners were dealt with here as punishment… Well, to be more specific, prisoners that were told on for their violent or illegal activities were punished here.

Well…first off, Gaara hasn't caused too much trouble in the last four years. So…here he was again for…what?

Things weren't this complicated for him since his mom's passing during his first three days in prison, and things didn't get complicated again…until Lee came. Lee has caused him nothing but trouble since he stepped into his cell. He didn't know why he spared Lee any of his time; he just knew he was weird…but he liked that about Lee.

He promised Kankuro that he would stay out of trouble, but promises always seem to break when he makes them. It's not like it was his fault he kept breaking them, just a few days ago he chased a Hyuga off of Lee. Hell, he even broke the guy's leg and busted someone's nose all on Lee's account!

…Wait

Oh.

Right.

"I beat some Hyugas for touching my cellmate." Zabuza blinked at the passive remark. He had forgotten that quickly how stoic Gaara was. Almost as much as himself…

Zabuza's bandages were loose around his jaw and hung down until they folded onto his chest. Gaara had never seen Zabuza's mouth before. It was rumored to house a thousand shark teeth, but that was a load of bull. Zabuza was seemingly normal to him…

"Yeah…I know your work when I see it. Those guys share the cell across from Haku and me. The guy with the twisted leg, he's been shitting sideways for days now." Gaara smirked at the comment.

"Thanks."

"Hn."

~*~

"The Hole? Yeah I know what it is…" Haku looked around before closing in on Lee's personal space. He whispered secretly, "I've been there before, just once though." Lee didn't know if he should have expected as much from Haku, or to be horrified that Haku could pose a threat.

They were sitting on the warm metal slab step of the bleachers, not paying the inmates on the field any attention. Haku babbled on about how bad he was when he first came, but Lee was deaf to the information. He had no interest in Haku's legacy of trouble. He strictly had his ears reserved for information about the Hole. When the conversation got way off topic, Lee decided to intervene, pushing all his courtesy aside.

"Haku..." Lee begged. Haku frowned at Lee's rudeness. Was he even listening to his story about the time he caught a snow rabbit? Obviously not.

After a long period of silence, Haku finally gave into Lee's plea.

"Fine."

Lee was satisfied.

The boy raised a delicate finger and inhaled dramatically, sucking in some of his long black bangs.

""That place is specifically built to insulate heat and its situated right behind the prison where the sun's beams are cast at full wattage…in short, the Hole is a living hell." Haku swallowed hard and continued, " It's shaped like a cylinder and made of pure stone the color of rust. It has a hole at the very top, that way the sun can shine through…" Haku threw his leg over the step, as if he were trying to get onto a horse. He was facing Lee correctly this way and he could get his points across better. He demonstrated the height with his hands, "Say my left is the sand," He motioned his left palm close to the metal step, as if he were touching it, but not quite, "And my right hand is where the Hole stops." His right hand towered over his left greatly. If Lee were to guess approximately how tall the Hole was, it would probably be as tall as a five story building… Haku brought his hands back to his lap.

"There's only one way into the Hole, and that's the stone entrance. Once that door is shut," Haku gravely shook his head, "the heat starts to collect."

Lee was disgusted with the torture device.

"Is that not cruel and unusual punishment?!"

"Not to Suna."

Lee reclined in his chair, imagining what it's like to be baked alive. He had a hard time visualizing it.

Gaara…

…must be dying in there…

"Hey, hey! What's wrong?" Haku jumped to Lee's side immediately and held his quivering shoulder steady.

He was crying…and didn't even realize it. Lee touched his cheek and found that it was moist. He stood up and shook his head slowly.

"I do not think I can listen to this…I.." His words blurred into each other before they were replaced with hiccups.

Haku made soothing noises to calm Lee. He made them sit back down on the bleachers again. He rubbed Lee's back and continued to softly shush him.

"Gaara…He must be…"

Haku blinked and shook his head quickly. "He's been there _plenty_ of times before. He'll be just fine…"

"H-how long…without..?"

Haku caught what Lee was trying to ask and gave an answer.

"They can only hold someone for a week at the maximum, but the usual length is three days."

"That is a long period of t-"

Lee felt a strong hold on his collar, yanking it profusely in quick jerks. Lee's neck bobbed like a limp noodle at the force. Lee swung his head around to find a gruff wrinkled face staring into his.

"You Rock?" The officer asked. Lee hesitantly nodded. Was he in trouble..?

"You've got visitors. Follow me." Lee stood up and waved to Haku, letting him know he was leaving for a while.

Cool air brushed Lee's skins upon entering the prison. The officer handcuffed Lee, saying that it was for safety precautions only. They rounded many corners as they made their way from one winding hallway to the next. Lee twitched at the yelling booming from one hallway down. He snapped his head to the commotion curious to see who was in trouble.

Voices echoed in the far hallway adjacent from them, this time louder than before. Two officers rounded the corner of the hallway hastily, struggling to restrain an inmate.

"Hold him down!"

"We're not letting you get away!"

The man on the floor was pinned down with the weight of the other two officers tying his wrists with a thin chain.

The man… wasn't a man. He was just a kid like Lee. His hair was a shocking color of blonde and a wide bang swooped over his right eye, making it invisible to all onlookers. What really caught Lee's attention were the boy's clothes.

They were bright orange.

Judging by the boy's clothes alone, Lee knew he wasn't a returnee like Haku or Zabuza… This kid…was he new?

They finally came upon a door labeled in white faded letters 'visiting center.'

"We're here kid," His escort said. The gruff man unlocked the door and pushed Lee in.

"You've got half an hour."

The door slammed behind him and the sound echoed around the white room. A plastic chair sat in front of him, pushed under a neat thin table top with a phone connected to the wall. Through the translucent glass panel, he saw the excited faces of his loved ones…

He hasn't felt this relieved in a long time…

~*~

Blood red was all he could see.

His hair was damp with sweat and stuck to his forehead like duck fluff, he didn't bother to brush it out of his eyes. He was too tired, especially of the stupid sun. He just wished it would go down already and hopefully, never come back up. He could live in a world with light, he was already drowning in the dark, so why not? He meant to grumble, but it came out as an agitated groan. He hated looking weak. He hated being helpless. He fucking hated everything right now.

"The heats getting to you, huh kid?" Zabuza laughed. Gaara didn't know how the man managed to speak in this heat wave.

"It's a living Hell in here…" Gaara nodded at that. The man seemed to be feeling the burn, and frankly, so was Gaara. He didn't know what all those crazy rumors about Zabuza being insane and senseless came from. Zabuza made sense every time he opened his mouth, and he was quite sane…maybe even more so than he was at the moment.

A head splitting knock echoed all around the two suffering inmates.

"Lunch." Came a familiar voice from behind the tray slot.

Gaara closed his eyes and let a crooked smile pass his lips.

"Kankuro…"

An auditable sigh passed the young officers lips. Gaara could picture his brother shaking his head.

"…Why am I not surprised? I thought we made a deal."

"Promises are meant to be broken."

"Still talking smart like that I see." He slipped the trays of bread and water through the fitting opening.

"Hey, bro, guess what?" Gaara commented with a huff. Kankuro knew his brother was listening even though he acted like he wasn't, so he continued.

"A new catch just came in today."Kankuro let out a short lived laugh before going on.

"Get a load of this, the dude _must_ be a transvestite. He looks so much like a girl it's not even cool!" Gaara debated on rolling his eyes, but in the end he decided against the idea. It would just take up energy. He didn't know why his brother thought stupid stuff like that was laughable. It was the very thing that made them different from each other.

"This guy got busted _big _time. He was caught trying to plant a bomb in this warehouse that kept some stolen possessions. I heard he was trying to kill the thief of the taken belongings. I think he was trying to swipe something of his back…" Kankuro didn't say anything for a second, but smacked his lips after the passing moment, a sign that he had forgot the information.

"Yeah well…it was nothing worth killing someone over. I was told in the lounge that it was some kind of gang symbol...whatever, all I know is that it was made of plastic…"

Gaara blinked. A gang symbol made of plastic..? Why did that sound familiar?

The red head all of a sudden felt his blood rush through him, filling him with newfound energy. He hastily wiped the grime and sweat off of his face and quickly crawled to the tray slot, abandoning his stomachs plea for food, and put his mouth to it.

"Was it a ring?" He asked, completely too fast for his brother to catch.

"What?"

"A ring, Kankuro! Was the gang symbol a ring!" The redhead was losing his cool fast, but he needed an answer. If it was what he thought it was…

"Yeah…yeah! That's it, that's what it was!" Kankuro sounded as though he could slap himself for being so nonchalance about the most important detail in the police report he overheard. To Gaara there was no time to be screwing up and making dumb mistakes. This was serious, more serious than any case Kankuro has ever handled.

"Kankuro…" Gaara's voice was dying. He needed to hydrate himself, but he needed to get his say out before Kankuro left.

"Kankuro, you need to stop talking to me."

Kankuro knew his brother could be cruel when he was fed up, but he didn't have to be so nasty about it. He could have told him to be quiet like he usual.

"Why are you so mean all the time…"Kankuro sounded like his feelings were truly hurt, but this made Gaara even angrier. How could his brother be so stupid in a time like this!?

"This speaking we do every now and then, it has got to stop. Don't talk to me, don't even look my way when you pass my cell. "

Kankuro paused and balled his fist into his pants. What was Gaara's problem? He was going to exclude him just because he was getting on his nerves? He already cut Temari out of his life, now him too?

"…Why do you always push us away?"

His question was met with silence.

Kankuro hated how his brother tossed family aside, like they didn't matter. This is the worst Gaara has acted in a long time…

"You pushed mom away too…"

"…"

"Why won't you let us help you?"

"I'm sorry…"

Kankuro sucked in a breath and looked up at the mighty stone building. He could feel his eye's stinging at the corners, but he wouldn't let his tears run. He rammed his fist against the wall and growled angrily at the concrete tomb.

"Fine…I don't give a damn…I never did!"

Footsteps stomped the floor and died off until nothing but the swirling of sand could be heard.

"I'm sorry…"

Gaara bite his lip and mumbled softly under his breath, low enough for only his ears to hear.

"I can't afford to lose you to Akatsuki…not you too…" Gaara laid his head down on the sandy floor, ignoring the tray of brittle bread and tap water beside him. He deserved to starve. He didn't push his family away for no reason…he loved them. It hurt to lose them this way, but not as much as having to bury them in the ground. He just had to stay quiet for eight more years and then he would be free of this case.

He honestly didn't believe he would make it as far as he did, but everyone was still safe, but for how long? One of the Akatsuki was here, he didn't know which one, but regardless, he couldn't take any chances. He'd have to push everyone away…

He'd have to push Lee away…

He wiped his face again, but the grime on his cheek wouldn't go away. He picked at it and realized that it was a sort of scab. He peeled it off and examined it through dry eyes. It was his skin. He was getting sunburn like Zabuza.

He was going to be in hell for a long time…

**Yayyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!! I've been working on this chapter for a whole week now, and in some parts I rushed it, and then in some I think I messed up with some of the transitional sentences ^^;; Sorry 'bout that, but I hope you enjoy this Chappie!!!!! **

**P.S. I'm not giving out anymore hints!!!! I'm crazy, I know.**


	8. Week 3 part II

~Week NO.3 part II~

_Gaara couldn't help waking up to the sound of his cousin's bed sheets rustling. From the looks of his sheets, they had been kicked off and tasseled over the limp mattress like an old discarded bath towel. _

_The child rubbed his puffy eyes to rid them of sleep and batted them slowly to concentrate on the target at hand. He was sure that his cousin was in the doorway, dressed and ready to go. _

_His cousin towered over him in age by four years. Although they were far relatives, they favored in appearance like blood brothers; ruffled blood red locks, squinted eyes, thin lips and languid features. Standing at 5'9, was his cousin, Sasori, in the doorway dressed from head to toe in whatever came to hand. Gray baggy shorts hung low on his waist and a too small T-shirt that was probably Gaara's, hugged at his torso. He wore white Nikes, even in the dark Gaara could tell he wasn't wearing socks… It was late, probably past midnight. _

_In a groggy voice Gaara called out to him, "Where are you going?"_

_Sasori, with a quarter twist of surprise, he faced his tired relative. He was quiet and motionless. His lips parted as if to say something, but then paused and dismissed his saying all together. Silence stretched between the two. Though blinded by the darkness, they stared at one another._

_Sasori's eyes glowed with a passive radiance of amber-gold, and even though the sky was moonless, a thin stream of light swiftly ran across the carpet flooring, masking Sasori's face with streaks of white. A train whistled and broke the alarming stillness that weighed heavy with tension. Gaara took a glimpse of his cousin's face and bowed his head, ashamed. At that moment he was fearful of Sasori._

_"Go back to sleep. I'll be back… I promise." Sasori said, ignoring Gaara's pleading eyes, turned his back to them and silenced his leaving footsteps as he exited the primacies. When the front door squeaked shut with a click, Gaara jumped out of his covers and threw on a brown jacket that engulfed his pajamas. Slipping on his house shoes, he was out the door trailing Sasori's thinning shadow up ahead. _

If he regretted anything in life, it was that. If he hadn't followed maybe he wouldn't be suffering in this sweltering hole.

"You dead, kid?"

Gaara shifted his head slightly; enough movement to inform the other inmate that he still possessed some life. Zabuza had informed him earlier that if he fell asleep, he'd be a dead man. Zabuza said that he saw other inmates die in the hole, basically because the guards wouldn't wake them up. Despite the man's warnings, Gaara surrendered to rest but woke up from a memory. A memory he kept suppressed for years until now. Even in his wake he was in a hazy stupor, unaware of his stinging skin and his noisy roommate.

"Water…"Gaara groaned

"It's right next to you."

Zabuza never once doubted Gaara's ability to harm someone, but this show of pity was quite the doubt. But then again, Gaara was just a kid, a frightened little brat who couldn't stand the sun. It annoyed the man to see such a gossip worthy inmate crawl on all fours to reach a tray of brittle bread and warm tap. The redhead probably never killed a man, probably hasn't even put a finger on a human head.

Zabuza watched through hazy vision as Gaara gobbled the bread and licked up the remaining crumbs. He diluted the water in record timing, one gulp.

"Pathetic."

Gaara, annoyed by Zabuza's constant remarks, could no longer ignore them. He scowled at the brown man welting across the sandy room. Zabuza grinned in the mischievous way he was known for, and said, "I'm going to tell you a story. One I haven't even shared with Haku…" Gaara sat with his eyes closed and legs sprawled. Despite his restless posture, he was more attentive than a watch dog on patrol duty.

"I was a hired gun making my way to my job, when I saw this old man. He was passing along the same bridge I was. The man was at the railing, watching the waves below, carefree as ever. I strolled right beside his hip, yanked him up by the neck," Zabuza made a lazy swing with his arm, motioning the action, "and threw him over the ledge. Didn't even know the man, didn't even feel a goddamn thing." Zabuza let a sick grin grace his lips, causing a dimple to form in his dry cheek. "Seeing him go was like relief…" He faced the brooding red-head with the same twisted expression.

"I bet you would have been glad to take his place. You probably would've drunk the whole damn sea."

Gaara swallowed… his throat dry all of a sudden.

"Probably."

Deep down the redhead feared the man in front of him. If Zabuza's story was true, which Gaara was certain it was, he was more than convinced that Zabuza truly was _that_ rarity, a natural-born killer. Absolutely sane, but conscienceless and capable of dealing, with or without motive, the coldest-blooded death blows. Most convicts tell their stories, saying how they killed a man just for the hell of it. Gaara never took any of them seriously. Most times prisoners were full of hot air, boasting about unreal events. It was all just senseless brag. Even Gaara himself was partly bluffing. He was practically floating on rumors alone. Problems never arose, not in school, not in family. Not until he entered prison. He was more than capable of taking another man's life; he just _hasn't _yet_._ He hoped to never have to do it.

He may have never killed with his fists, but the slip of his ten-year-old tongue did the trick.

Loved ones hid in the belittling shadow within him. He gave his chest a squeeze and slowly shut his eyes. Blond locks decorated a joyous face of a pale skinned woman whose smile could banish all worries. It was the face of his late mother… An image emerged, blurry and smeared, but Gaara recognized the powerful amber glow that could only belong to his deceased cousin. He could feel their presence leaning on his back heavily… He couldn't sleep because of it. He vowed to stay quiet, but how much longer would he have to suffer under the watchful spirits lingering above his conscience? As a child he knew no better than to say a word or two, but if he had known that the information was going to kill his mother, he wouldn't have opened his mouth. He couldn't begin to comprehend how they felt… How angry they must be to haunt him this way… What was he to do..?

Gaara would have to remain true to his goal. He wouldn't lose anyone else. Push them away. Keep them safe.

"…You're no killer." Zabuza growled under his breath.

"You don't know me." Gaara countered.

The brown man only stared at the redhead, convinced that the boy in front of him was falling. Falling somewhere deep within his own past life. The glare Gaara possessed was of a different nature; it could penetrate the confidence of any man and shatter his spirit in two. But this boy was full of anguish and fear; a pain that paralleled no other, not even Zabuza's glare could surpass it. Gaara, with his cool unmatched stride, his calm attitude that was the root of all fear… to even _think_ that this sly kid who walked with the upmost confidence was the most frightened of all the inmates, was like telling a really bad lie. Or the truth that no one wanted to hear. The kid was stuck. Jammed in a corner. Looking at him, Zabuza could sense the boy's exhaustion.

Zabuza sat up an inch or so off the wall and nodded upward. Despite the delayed reaction, he successfully caught Gaara's attention.

"Do you plan to get out of here…or die first?" It was a question Zabuza used to judge his fellow inmates. Everyone he interviewed so far hadn't even thought of their future, but the ones that have were empty with no uplifting goals or duties.

He had even asked Haku the same question, and he replied in the most casual voice, as though he knew the question would come and prepared an answer in advance.

"_There is no home left for me to return to. If I die here…if it's not by your hands, then I am not interested."_ _Haku smiled._ _"I am yours Zabuza."_

But the reply he got from Gaara made him laugh, laugh until his dry coughing forced him to stop.

"I don't care where I end up, so long as I complete my goals."

"Lee!" Tenten said it so loud that Lee could hear her through the glass. Her eyebrows twisted her expression into a worried look. She hastily grabbed the phone at her side. She fumbled at first, but finally managed to grip the neck of the phone successfully.

Tenten opened her mouth, but her expression dropped a bit at the sight of her cousin. He looked…distressed. His hair was looking rough. His bangs rained into his eyes. Loose stringy strands stuck to his neck. His eyes were rimmed in gray and had tired sags to them. His lips were chapped and his skin was a mix of shady brown patches. Tenten's joyous demeanor twisted into a worrisome one.

"What…," she paused, thinking of a word to replace _happened._

"Up?" She tried to smile but couldn't. Lee lifted a hand to his slightly bruised cheek, curling his fingers into a fist; he placed his chin on top of it and tried to smile, but it came out as a tense line.

"Well, the food is not gruel." They laughed uncomfortably before ending it on a dry cough.

Lee glanced up at his cousin and realized she wasn't in uniform. He was sure school hours were still in session. She must have skipped to show up here with Gai, who sat next to her just smiling, not saying a word. Lee rubbed the back of his collar nervously and peeked through the curtain of black bangs. He has never seen them look so strange. Has Tenten always looked so fearful? Has Gai always seemed so passive? Maybe it's because he hasn't seen them for a whole 3 weeks…

"So, how is school, Tenten? Or has it passed the graduation date yet?" Lee was regaining his backbone, but the look his cousin gave him shrunk him again. She down casted her brown gaze and shrugged her shoulders. Lifting the phone slowly to her lips, she mumbled, "I didn't."

Lee was puzzled, "What?"

"I didn't walk the stage, Lee." She sighed, rubbing her forehead, "I kind of got excused…for the rest of the year." Looking up, she noticed Lee's eyes gradually slip away, as if a deep black fog was rolling in on the interior of his body.

"Oh…" He wasn't going to ask what she had done. There were so many possibilities of what she could have accomplished in trouble, that her school file was probably an encyclopedia of every kind of detention and suspension imaginable. He changed the subject.

"Well, how is Sakura?" he absentmindedly twisted the curls on his neck with a finger. He peered off to the right, checking the clocks minute hand. 14 minutes left. Why did he ask about Sakura anyway? Not once did he think about her the whole time he was trapped behind bars. This was a waste of a question, but before he could undo his subject change, Tenten sharply snapped, "She's _nothing_. Forget about her."

Lee said nothing. He studied his cousin's hard expression and something in him dropped. The feelings he possessed for his girlfriend were no more. Not that he jumped at Tenten's harsh words and believed them. He just felt that this was the perfect time to drop the relationship altogether. What use is her love in prison anyway? It's not like she called him, wrote to him, or even visited. She's done nothing. Maybe that's why he forgot about her so completely these last few weeks. Lee motioned his rough palm to his heart and let his eyebrows levitate for a time. People always talked about how there would be this deep abandoned hole when you broke up with someone you loved, but Lee was a contradiction. There was no gap where his love for Sakura had been. Nothing was missing, in fact, he still felt complete. Maybe…the love he once felt for her was merely replaced. With what? He couldn't say. Oddly enough, he felt his lips twitching.

He was smiling softly.

"I do not feel anything for her…" he gripped his chest again, and his grin grew slowly, "I feel nothing anymore. There is nothing to fear now."

Tenten kept her amber stare on Lee. She had so much to say to him, about how they fixed up the truck, repainted and buffed it to a new sheen. How the flower bed was blossoming with the new Azalea plants they bought from Garden Ridge. How they placed new furniture in his room, and bought him a new bed spread. But after what Lee shared, she was speechless. She was studying him with hurt eyes. He felt nothing? What about her and Gai's trip out here just to see him? Did he care about that? Or didn't he? She couldn't tell. He was unreadable with that smile on his lips… He seemed defeated. Like he lost some kind of war a long time ago, and was now paying amends. But, who did he lose against? And how was he paying amends to them?

A pale officer poked his head in from behind the door on Lee's side.

"Seven minutes, Rock." He warned, shutting the door abruptly. Lee had his neck twisted to stare at the scorched black door, and then he brought his attention to Tenten, who was gapping…

In that moment, she was given answers to her questions.

"Lee…," She lifted an imposing finger, pointing at the crook of his neck, "What is _that_?"

Lee could tell just from the way her finger shook that she was inquiring about the misshapen circle on his neck. He didn't need to look down at it to bring a hand to shield if from his cousin's astonished eyes. He down casted his gaze at the glass plating, not really looking at Tenten anymore.

"Oh my _god_…"She said slowly, letting each word escape in a whispered tone.

Her eyes were questioning, expressing endless worry and fear.

"Lee…?"

"…." Lee numbly shook his head. He didn't need to explain his situation to her. The silence stretching between them was loud enough to answer.

"It was the only way. If I did not, I would not be here." Why was he trying to justify his actions to her? The look on her face was wide with judgment…disgust. There was no use convincing her of the truth, she was letting her mind make up the situation for her. No matter what he said, the words were slipping her grasp. But Lee's lips stayed in motion, he couldn't stop talking. He knew she wasn't hearing him, but he needed to say it, he needed to get it off his chest.

"This mark…it saved me. Yesterday, today…forever on. No one can hurt me here, not anymore."He peered into Tenten's shaky amber eyes, searching them for understanding, but all he found was strangled sickness.

Shouldn't she be happy that he wasn't being bullied anymore? Why couldn't she accept the fact that he was the property of someone else? Why couldn't she understand the urgency of protection that he was granted? Why couldn't she _understand_?

Tenten shook her head until her bangs were swaying about her face madly. Her cheeks were glowing hot like coals, and her features became scrunched up with disbelief. After a good minute of doing that, she let her face drop down into the palms of her hands. The phone fell into her lap, abandoned. She didn't budge. Just stayed sealed away deep inside herself.

Gai approached from the bench he had been sitting on with the other waiting visitors. He gently lifted the phone out of Tenten's lap and placed it to his ear, his eyes steady and serious as he stared at Lee.

"Son…you do whatever it takes for you to get home to us."

Lee glanced up into his father's powerful eyes. Gai understands him. He accepted him. He loved him.

Lee let his palm slip from his neck, no longer masking the truth of his predicament. He was safe now. Maybe Tenten didn't understand, didn't want to understand, but as long as Gai did, nothing could tear him down.

A silent tear rolled down his dry cheek, but Lee wiped it away, a small smile capturing his appreciation.

"I will."

Gai placed his hand on the glass, his palm squished against the surface with strength, as if he wished he could ghost through it and pat Lee on the shoulder. But he didn't have to. Lee slid his rough hand up the smooth glass, masking Gai's huge one with his own. They held that position for the remainder of Lee's visiting time.

An officer emerged from the door and nodded at Lee, signaling him to conclude his visit. Lee let his hand slip from the mirrored surface numbly, but the smile on his face made Gai feel empowered. Gai watched silently as Lee was put in hand cuffs as he marched behind the officer and disappeared behind the scorch black door. Lee didn't spare Gai a wary glance back.

After a few moments of just standing there, Gai realized that the phone was still within his grasp. He breathed and hung it up. He held Tenten's shoulders, they were trembling.

"Come on, Tenten…"

And without a word, she got up from the plastic chair and followed Gai out. The faces of worried loved ones painted the lounge, the wiping desert danced in slow motion, the parking lot gravel spiraled away at the bursting kick she sent it off with, and the truck handle stung her hand… Everything was blurring together, mixing until Gai's face and steering wheel seemed the same shade of flesh.

Gai twisted his head quickly at the loud sobbing wreck that was his daughter. He reached for the Kleenex behind his seat and mashed the box in her lap, ripping out a tissue for her to use before her tears drenched her tee completely. He forced his attention back to the dirt road, no other vehicle accompanying it. It wasn't like Gai to abandon Tenten to her own sorrow, but he felt that this predicament needed more than just words. Sayings meant nothing when the truth was pressed into thoughts. After a while of silent hiccupping, Tenten spoke.

"He's so different. Like a stranger…" She looked to Gai, who watched the road. "When he comes home to us, he won't be Lee anymore, will he..." Gai said nothing, and Tenten silenced herself. Sleep was overtaking her, but she felt if she closed her eyes, she would see Lee, that tired expression, that defeated smile… She would faint if she shut them from the world, so she forced herself to keep her eyes focused on whipping sand and humid sky.

Lee was escorted down the same lane of halls he had passed on the way to the visitors lounge. Somehow, this route seemed different, the officer took two steps to the left, and with that, they were strolling down a new path, one that Lee vaguely remembered. A thin scrape in the tile floor caught Lee's attention, a nail scratching. He blinked the sleep from his eyes. He knew this hallway. He saw that other inmate scrambling away from two chasing officers here. Yeah… a new inmate in sun orange clothes, just like him.

Lee peeked up at the fluorescent lights above his head. They didn't flicker on and off like the ones near his cell, these looked new, brighter even. The tile laid out on the upper story of the prison was worn and dusty, but the ones he was walking on shined to a new radiance, almost appearing glossed. With every advancing step, the scenery was becoming greater in quality. This made Lee nervous, really nervous. Where were they going?

He couldn't form words to ask the question, but the officer glanced over his shoulder at Lee, as if sensing the boy's distress. He stopped in his march and faced Lee. Lee stopped his movements abruptly and swallowed. The officer frowned.

"For someone so misplaced in prison, you sure do get a lot of attention."

Lee stared at the officer not knowing how to respond. The officer let out a sigh and pressed his cap down. "I don't know what you did, but if the warden wants to see you, it must have been one hell of a stunt."

Lee opened his mouth, but no words escaped him. The warden wanted to see _him_? For what? The officer left the conversation at that, whirling around on his heels and marching toward the warden's office with Lee in slow pursuit. Lee could feel the sweat beads forming under his skin, oozing through his pores and gliding down the sides of his face. Lee was scared, he had been his whole stay here at Suna, but this was a different type of scared. It was the kind of scared that made him want to hurl up all of his innards just to avoid his predicament. The kind that made him want to run in the opposite direction and encourage his escort to give chase. The kind of scared that strangled him with overbearing anxiety. His escort came to a halt, and so did Lee. The officer faced Lee, perhaps for the last time, and gave a mocking salute. One corner of his lip curved up into a smirk.

"Nice knowing you, kid."

And with that, the officer opened the door behind him, window light encased Lee's vision, but after the moments passing, the room started to fill out with furniture, a standing lamp, and a familiar figure at a work desk. A stream of sunlight hit the figures face, and there in the swivel chair, was Gaara. His lips curled the slightest bit, a small smile. He motioned his hand to the armchair before his oak desk.

"Let's have a chat."

No, this wasn't Gaara. This man only favored him. This was the warden, Gaara's father. A man with stony eyes and chestnut hair, his smile dry, but strangely fatherly. His eyes were clear amber… The warden favored Gaara strongly in every area but eye color. Perhaps Gaara got his unique eye color came from his mother…

"Take a seat, you must be tired."

Lee did. It was such a treat to sit in a nice comfy armchair instead of a lumpy mattress or a searing hot bleacher in the Yard. Lee almost felt part of the real world again. Absentmindedly, he sighed a note of relief, but he straightened up after realizing he did. The warden said nothing, just stared at him. After a few uncomfortable seconds, the warden lifted a fresh peach from his glass bowl of assorted fruits and offered it to Lee, but Lee politely declined. The warden shrugged his shoulders and took a bite into the peach. After silent chewing, he placed his hands on the desk, intertwined. Buisness-like.

"I've wanted to speak with you for some time now, . Your name…is that correct?" His voice was a bit lighter than Gaara's, but the same intimidating nature in his speech was remarkable. Even more fluid than Gaara's… He was a man to fear. Lees tongue was in a complicated knot of rambles, so he nodded his head once to verify the warden's answer. The man before Lee leaned into his swivel chair and twirled it around toward the open window, the back facing Lee. The dusky light from the sun passed over and a shadow hung heavily…

"You share a cell with my son do you not? …I hope he hasn't caused you too much trouble, now."

Lee swallowed his anxiety, "I am fine."

"…" The man twisted around, he was a professional with rotating his chair so precisely. The perfect spin that stopped where he wanted… He's probably sat in this chair for years, talking down to inmates such as Lee. He leaned into his oak desk, fingers pressed together and neatly folded on the mahogany top. His face was shadowed, and his smile was non-existent.

"Accidents happen here…," the warden took hold of one of the picture frames littering his desk. It was of a woman and three children. The woman was a blonde haired beauty with a perfect smile, one so sweet it could chase away any nightmare. Her eyes were a unique ocean blue…this had to be Gaara's mother. One child with rutty amber hair was hugging at her leg, his tongue out and eyebrows up. A silly boy… Another sibling on the opposite side of the woman was a troublesome girl with a sharp smirk with eyes dark as night. Her arms were crossed and her feet spread apart. She was nothing but attitude, probably the oldest too. And in the woman's grasp was a small ruby haired boy, situated on her hip with his little fingers around her jade pendant. His eyes were focused on the precious jewel and not the camera. That was Gaara, perhaps at the age of four. He looked so small, so innocent... This photo was his family. What happened to them?

The warden laid the photo face down and unpinned the backside of the frame. His fingers quickly removed the backside, and inside he lifted up a thin sleek knife no longer than the small outline of the photo. It was as thick as a quarter, if that, and probably weighed little to nothing. The warden wrapped the weapon in his hand gently and looked up at Lee's wide eyes.

"And an accident needs to happen now, ." He swiftly slid the blade over to the far side of his oak desk, just in arms reach, but Lee did not take it. He was astonished. What was he to do with that?

The warden folded his hands up and laid them on his desk neatly, that same dry smirk in place.

"I want you to take care of my son…" Despite the shadow overtaking his features, Lee could tell the warden's smirk was growing, "If you neglect this duty…you might find yourself in this facility longer than you expect."

Lee hesitated in taking the blade, once he had it in his grasp, he didn't know what to do with it. He didn't want to hurt Gaara, but he didn't want to stay here any longer than his three month sentence… He wouldn't do it, but even if he failed, the warden could easily break a deal with another inmate and get the job done efficiently. Either way...Gaara was in danger. He _liked_ Gaara, but he didn't like being his emotional slave… He didn't like the fact that he was his toy. He didn't like the fact that he couldn't protect himself. Gaara was in the way…and if he killed him, perhaps he could live off a greater fund of reputation than Gaara himself held. The title of the one who murdered the warden's son. Yes. But Lee knew the boy's heart too well. They were one and the same, and the fact that Gaara trusted him with his body, to open up and hold and reason with through silent communication… A tight embrace in the night under the sheets, and in that small comfortable setting, he would slit Gaara's pale throat in one quick movement. Gaara would never see it coming. Never. The bat, the whirl of a body, the crunching of grass, and the caking of dried black blood curing around an ear flooded back to Lee with nightmarish-speed. Lee dropped his knife, his mouth slightly parted, a new break of sweat around his wrist, waist and forehead, drool on his bottom lip. Takashi. The middle aged man he swung dead on his front lawn only a month ago, fell into his mind so suddenly, he felt like he was there, back at the scene. Tenten and Gai…that cop. Everyone… The very thought sickened him, and at that very instant, his stomach lurched.

Lee hurled up pasty red-brown goo in between his legs. He gave a raspy gasp, trying to apologize in the same agonizing breath, but the warden shook his head and gave Lee a lap napkin for him to wipe his mouth clean. His cheeks were wet. Perhaps the pain in his stomach made him produce the tears or maybe he really did just cry. It didn't matter. The point was: The warden wanted his son dead, and he chose Lee to do it.

After minutes of bitter silence, the warden's hidden hand waved Lee off.

"You're dismissed. Leave."

Lee automatically got up to leave, retrieving his knife at the same time. However, right when his escort opened the door for Lee, the warden smoothly added, "Watch out for that new one…he's going to get in your way." And with that, Lee was escorted out the door, down the hall and up the stairs. His cell rested for him there, scarred and beaten, walls craved and ominous. There he would wait another day, and Gaara would be back from the Hole. Back for Lee to kill.

**AUTHOR NOTE**: OKAY. I totally know that this chapter was sharp and short….and late. Very, but, you just can't rush this stuff ^^;;. I'll get to the second half of this thing…today. I should, it would be evil of me not to. LOLZ. Well, we're about to find out about our mystery inmate (aka the new guy) and another snippet of Gaara's vague past. And will Lee kill Gaara?...Hmmm


	9. Week 3 part III

**Author Note: Just a warning. This chapter is a bit…dark. And from this point on, nothing is going to be happy or fluffy o.o;;;. Read on plz ^_^**

~Week NO. 3 Part III~

Lunch had started and Lee was sitting by himself.

No Gaara. He wouldn't see him until later…

Lee felt transparent, like every eye on him was aimed right at his chest pocket. Right where his knife was. He motioned his hand over the weapon, glazing its outline with his fingers, a gentle touch. He was afraid that if he pressed too hard or let his hand linger too long, he'd end up pushing the knife right into his flesh, through the bone, into his heart… What a quick solution to ending all his miseries. He'd been depressed for some time now, but Gai had saved him once again.

_Son…you do whatever it takes to get home to us._

Lee clenched the knife through the orange cloth of his jumper and nearly broke down. It took every ounce of willpower not to let the tears fall. He managed a quiet prayer before lifting his fork lifelessly to his lasagna. But before he could stab it, a slick motion blurred him; he was yanked away by the side of his neck, a choke hold of a sort, and in an instant, he found himself a scoot away from his entrée. Hot breath pecked his cheek and blond hair fell on his shoulder. Someone… Lee wiped his head around to find one gorgeous midnight eye staring down into his personal bubble. A milky smooth face…a finely pointed nose and plush lips sat situated in front of him. This individual's hair was an electric gold color with high shine. A sweet smile graced those pink lips, and the eye became a small squint. It was laughing.

A girl was in this prison? Lee found his eyes stuck on the girl. He had the sense to snap out of his dreamy state, but she did not fade. No, she was real. Very real. Her light weight on his shoulder, her breath on his face, her thigh touching his thigh… Yes, she was here, and he was not insane. Not yet anyway. But that's when he noticed the girl's chest. It was rather…absent. Nothing was there to be exact. She was flat, flat like the tile the prisoners spat on.

This was no woman.

Lee blinked a few times, all of the information his eyes were gathering at one time seemed like a heavy overload for his fragile system, and that bright orange suit was giving him a storm of a headache…

Orange?

Sun-orange clothes.

Lee jumped away, the mysterious inmate's hand fell freely from his neck in the process. Lee looked into that dangerously attractive face and found that this was the same person he saw being tackled to the ground by two officers while he was escorted to the visitor's area. This individual was a young boy, just like himself. Lee imagined what it would feel like to claw at the floor and taste the grit with his face squished against that rusty tile. Was this the new inmate? The one the warden warned Lee about?

"Well sweetheart, you don't have to be so mean…" The boy huffed, backing out of Lee's space.

This person was _definitely_ a man. Lee could tell by the timbre in his voice. It had a sweet, but queer ring to it. A male's voice that tried to sound female. Lee felt numb immediately. Everyone here was so weird, he didn't even know he could still be shocked after everything he'd been through, but apparently there were still a few heart stopping moments to be had, this being one of them. Lee was brought out of his thoughts when a warm hand swept across his own.

"I didn't think there'd be another teenager here." The pretty boy looked about the eatery and grimaced. Men around the glass doors had a hard look in their eyes. Their mannerisms and ways of speech told a story of a really rough life. The pretty boy looked to Lee again, a warm smile on his lips, "Glad I'm not the only one." Lee jerked his hand back defensively. He didn't mean to act jumpy, but he couldn't help that his mind was influenced by impulse and body trauma…

A deep indigo eye narrowed worrisomely at him. Pale smooth fingers brushed Lee's long bangs out of his eyes.

"You don't look so good. You okay?" Lee couldn't voice a sound. Expressions spoke for him. His face, he knew, was wide with embarrassment and surprise. Despite the stranger's kindness (and touchy-feelingess) Lee was unnerved. This guy was too calm for someone who'd just been thrown in prison. His nonchalant demeanor was almost…intimidating.

Lee gripped at the knife in his shirt unconsciously, as if for support. He took a breath to help steady his wandering thoughts. He needed to say something, anything.

"Have you eaten yet?" He asked. Lee was surprised at the sound of his own voice. It was strong and casual...nearly normal. He guessed the quaky quiver in his mousy tone had disappeared after speaking with the warden. The male smiled big and stood up quickly.

"No. Show me the line?" Lee pointed toward the gruel station where three prisoners manned the trays. The grim frown gracing the golden boy's lips told Lee that he wasn't satisfied with just directions. "Escort me?"He inquired, giving off his most suggestive glance. Lee could feel trouble creeping up on him… He stood up slowly, mapping out the area of inmates as he did so. Despite Gaara's protection and markings, Lee was still aware of roaming eyes from the other inmates. He knew that cellmates casted him looks that suggested activities beyond the realms of wet dreaming, but when Gaara would appear at Lee's side, the men would shoot their eyes away, grumbling. What if they thought he was with this golden boy? Would they jump at the chance to be with him? And if they did, would this boy be man enough to fend them off? Lee glanced at the blond again and immediately doubted his last statement. The boy was thin like a girl and attractive like one too. Good looks are an advantage in outside society, but inside prison walls they were a curse. Lee thought of Haku suddenly, but he couldn't compare the new guy and his friend. Even without Zabuza at his back, Haku could hold his own weight. This guy…he looked as though he'd need a Zabuza or a Gaara.

Wait. Was that why the blond was beside him now? For protection? Lee clenched the organ rapidly beating in his chest, but ended up with a cloth covered knife groped between his panicked fingers. He couldn't be this boy's protector. He couldn't be a Gaara or a Zabuza to him. He couldn't even protect _himself_. If the inmates ganged on them, Lee would escape the chaos if there was an immediate opportunity, and if the golden boy lagged behind, Lee wouldn't go back in to save him. He'd leave the kid for the mass of inmates to take as their own pet. Survival was everything here, and if this boy didn't get with the program soon, there was nothing Lee could do for him. Lee shuddered at his own dark thoughts.

"Are you cold?" the boy reached out a perfect hand to Lee. Upon glazing a shoulder with his fingers, Lee swatted the hand away unconsciously. It was reflex now.

"Yes…I mean no." Lee shook his head clear and glanced back at the boy, confident now. "Let's go through the line." As they made their way through the crowd, Lee could feel eyes following them. He almost panicked at the attention they were receiving, but the boy next to him grabbed his shoulder with a reassuring smile.

"I forgot to tell you my name."He said, grabbing a tray from one of the inmates manning the lunch line. The inmate hopelessly flirted with the boy, but the boy shook his head, laughing at the gruff mans pout. Lee couldn't help but think that this kid was fitting in a little _too _well in this vulgar atmosphere. After the boy chose his palate of beef tips and macaroni and cheese, he turned to Lee and said, "My name's Deidara, but I'm more interested in what yours is." He stared at Deidara, and after a time mumbled a small, "Lee."

Since Deidaras hands were preoccupied with his tray, he jabbed Lee in the arm with an elbow. "Lighten up! It's not like I'm going to hurt you or anything." Lee narrowed his eyes at Deidara suspiciously.

"If you did not hurt anybody, then why are you in maximum security prison?"Lee's voice must have sounded loud because it almost seemed like the whole cafeteria stilled, just for a split second. Lee then concluded that the pause in activity was all in his head, seeing how the conversation rose around them again. Deidara's smile didn't at all falter, in fact, it grew _wider_.

"I could ask you the same thing now, hm?" A golden swoop bounced as he chuckled at Lees flinch. His laughing was sweet and honest, but to Lee it was maddening, almost disturbing. Lee hasn't laughed at all since he got to prison. He has smiled on rare occasions, but did his smiles really count? He didn't smile out of happiness, more so out of reflex… What was wrong with this Deidara guy? Was prison a joke to him?

Deidara finally stopped laughing when they reached Lee's table. Lee gave up on his meal since it was no longer room temperature. He sipped on the juice box that he received from one of the cafeteria inmate's manning the lunch line. The cafeteria guy was always giving him extra helpings...Lee peaked at Deidara's tray and noticed that his serving of smothered beef tips looked fresh. Beef tips were never fresh when he got them. They were usually dry and chewy. In thinking this, Lee decided that his meal of lasagna wasn't so bad since the amount he had was bigger than that of most inmates. He decided that he would enjoy his meal. Besides, with Deidara in the picture now, Lee probably wouldn't be getting such a hardy helping after today. He knew he wasn't the cafeteria inmate's favorite anymore…

Deidara slowly ate his meal, smile still in place. Lee couldn't help but feel vexed. What was there to smile about? Lee had a feeling that this kid knew something the rest of the world didn't because whatever he thought was funny, Lee wanted to know too. Apparently, Deidara didn't want to share the joke.

After a small time, Deidara was wiping his mouth clean with the back of his hand, satisfied. Lee looked into the face of the boy's tray and found that not even leftover sauce escaped Deidara's appetite. Pearl-indigo eyes bore into Lee's, they almost seemed to be glowing with…mischief?

Deidara's grin was a smug one.

"Tell you what. Let's make a deal."

Lee's juice was halfway up the straw when his breath failed him. The juice splashed back into box, his mouth dry all of a sudden. Deidara took the stunned reaction as a sign to continue.

"I'll tell you my story if you tell me yours. See? Secret for a secret. Fair enough, hm?" Deidara had his arms up, as if shrugging, but his casual attitude made the gesture seem like a sarcastic one. Lee resumed in drinking his juice. Deidara's smile was no longer honest. It was dark…

He pushed his tray away and faced Lee, "Someone stole an important item from me. I went to steal it back from them, but in the process of sneaking around…I couldn't help but leave them a treat." Deidara's smile grew shallow, almost mysterious.

"I bombed their hideout," Deidara gave an over exaggerated sigh, "Too bad the bastard wasn't there. It was a really pretty explosion too…hues of copper-orange and mustard-yellow blending together into the sky." His face had a dream-like demeanor, but faded into confusion as he added, "Who would have thought that an ugly warehouse could make such a beautiful fire?" He looked to Lee for understanding, but received a dubious expression instead. Deidara paused, smiled, and then laughed half-heartedly to chase off the discomfort in the air.

Lee wasn't stunned at the news. Rather, he was surprised at it. He's heard of people starting fires just for the hell of it, but here he was face-to-face with one of the lunatics. A _real_-life arsonist. Who would have thought? He vaguely wondered if they were all as awkward and bubbly as Deidara. Maybe crazy just came in different forms? Lee concluded that arsonists made fires because they were obsessed with flames. Now this kid was another case. Deidara made fires because he thought they were pretty. With that definition in mind, Deidara's personality fit perfectly in Suna.

Lee couldn't help but ask the obvious, "So, what exactly was stolen from you?" Deidara wagged his finger. _Tisk-tisk-tisk_.

"Don't get ahead of yourself. Secret for a secret, remember?"

Lee frowned, but complied. Recalling the events in his head was traumatizing enough, but to actually have to put the crime into words? That was a whole other kind of torture.

"Well-I-you see…"Lee took a breath, but it didn't help calm him down. "There was this man who broke into my house through my cousin's window and-he-well-", Lee felt himself being overrun by a painful kind of guilt but he pressed on with his story. His voice was going back into its mousy shell. "It was the middle of the night…I was scared for my family and I had the bat, I mean, I was not trying to hurt him, I just, he ducked and…I just…he should not have broken into my house. My nerves were shaken and…he reached into his pocket-but he did not have…a gun…"Lee paused for a long time. His juice box was being crushed by his vexed grip. He felt so low, so filthy.

"I killed him." Lee looked to Deidara. The boy was shocked, completely gape-mouthed. The next moment, Lee found himself explaining his actions in a jumbled manner, "He ducked and I did not see…his body was in the grass…the blood on his ear began to cake…" Lee knitted his brows together, completely disoriented in thought. "I am not a killer. It was an accident..." His voice cracked in the middle of his explanation, and with that, he gave up trying to talk in general. His voice refused to crawl out of his throat, and so, Lee folded into himself, much like his boxed juice. That man's blood could never be washed from Lee's hands… Even if it was an accident, the accident cost a hefty price. Lee knew that even when his three-month sentence was up; he would not go back to normal. There was no normalcy to go back to. He was beyond scathed. Lee was going to be warped for life. Mind jumbled and paranoid. Weary and disturbed. Depressed and nonchalant.

All kinds of fucked up.

A soothing sensation ran up his shoulder, and then to his wrist, and then to his shoulder again.

"You don't have to cry." Deidara cooed. Lee angrily swiped at his tears with an arm. What the hell was he crying about? There was _nothing_ to cry about! It happened. He killed a man. The end. Why couldn't he just accept it for what it was? He murdered someone. That was all he had to say, and Deidara would have left the subject alone. It only took a minute for Deidara to begin commenting.

"And here I thought my story was interesting!" Lee could tell from the chirpy tone in Deidara's voice that his smile was back.

"The moment I saw you from across the cafeteria, I knew I had to talk to you. All I see is an innocent kid, and here he is, in prison with the rest of God's failures." Deidara shook his head, laughing grimly, "If God didn't spare you, no one's safe." That comment made Lee feel so much worse. His tears just wouldn't stop coming…

For a time it was silent between the two. Only Lee's momentary sniffles and hiccups filled the space around them.

Deidara continued to rub Lee's arm. Finally, he broke the silence.

"I'll tell you another secret, but don't worry about having to pay for it with one of your own. Consider it a gift."If it weren't for the hint of humor in his words, Deidara would have sounded accommodating.

"That kid you bunk with? He's got some really ugly rumors flying over his head. If anyone asks you about this information, you didn't hear it from me." Lee's tears began to soften in quantity. At those words Lee's chest contracted with curiosity, but dread tangled around it. Did he even want to know? Lee knew he would not benefit from hearing the tale, but he couldn't bring himself to tell Deidara to stop. He invited the information, and not for good or worse. He already knew the news was devastating... Why pretend it wasn't? Deidara continued his story matter-of-factly.

"He went into the system when he was ten." Lee searched Deidara's face, praying that he was joking. A really cruel and humorless joke.

No such indication befell his perfect features.

"He tricked his cousin into sneaking out of the house to some local railway crossing. Some kind of way he tied him to the tracks and left him for dead. The train that crosses those rails runs at five a.m. every day." Deidara shook his head slowly, sad…almost crossed. "That kid was found in pieces the next morning. If his head hadn't been completely severed from the wheels, they wouldn't have been able to identify him."

Lee couldn't process the news. It was so unreal…so inhumane. The little four-year he saw on the warden's desk was in no way capable of taking someone's life. Especially a child's, and in that fashion… It was all so _sick_! Why the hell is he just now hearing about this case? Deidara must have read the betrayal on Lee's face because his grin curled into a smug smirk. "You've probably never heard about it since the story ran on one news channel and lasted five minutes, but after that one showing, it never aired again. The case has been all hush-hush ever since his old man bought the local authorities silence."

Lee couldn't breathe…he couldn't talk. The air slid down his throat like poison. Deidara's voice was a black hole, sucking up all of Lee's beliefs, whirling them around into a warped and tangled mass of illusions. Lee's entire reality was flipped upside down.

Lee heard himself say, "How do you know all of this?"

Deidara smiled grimly, and the words that left him were hollow and distant, "His cousin was my closest friend."

Lee's system was breaking up like windshield glass, shifting and scratching the edges of his mind. He knew what was coming. Deidara didn't want protection. He didn't want a friend. He didn't need a Zabuza…

"Stop…" Lee brought his hands up over his face, as if to shield the oncoming words, but Deidara's fingers snatched Lee's wrist's and yanked them apart. He leaned into Lee's ear tauntingly.

"I hope you haven't fucked him yet. If you have, it'll only make the parting that much harder." The smile in his voice was gone.

The sirens wailed, and all activity rose, clattering from the tables, ear-pounding laughter, trays clicked together, and yet, despite all these disruptions, Lee was deaf. All he could see was Deidara rise, smile in place, eyes bleeding black shadows, his skin a sheet of white. He filed out of the cafeteria with his hands deep in his jumper pockets, whistling a tune. Lee could see it now. He could see it all now. Deidara was in Suna, not as an arsonist. No, Deidara was too clever to get caught for starting some stupid fire. He knew the thief wasn't at the warehouse… He planned his captivity, and now he was in Suna for a reason. At that moment, Lee sprang to his feet and raced out the glass doors. He bashed into shoulders, tripped over feet, and endured shoves that could have sent him face planting into the floor, but he kept on running. He needed to find Gaara before Deidara did. He didn't want to lose him. Forget what the warden said, he was already screwed for life. Hell, he might as well spend the rest of it with someone who understands him. But now that person was going to be taken from him.

Deidara was in Suna, not as an arsonist. No.

He was in Suna as his friend's dagger of revenge.

~o0o~

Thank God the guards hadn't sent the prisoners to The Yard. The inmates had been escorted to their cells instead. Apparently, today was their day off. The prisoners in the cafeteria named the break Sweet Nothing. It was what they cherished every month, but Lee could care less. He was at the top of his line, glad that he would be released to his cell next. The sound of tile being scrapped by heavy feet excited him. He had company in the cell. Never has he felt so relieved… Gaara was back from The Hole at last.

When the line was directly in front of Lee's cell, he ran out of the formation and pressed himself against the cool steel bars. His body was practically merging with the cell gate. It felt like years since he last saw the redhead. The pale smooth skin he remembered him possessing was now flushed red, his face was dry, and his nose was peeling skin. His ruby hair was curled from sweat…the black rims around his eyes had a smudgy look to them… Gaara was exhausted. The officer behind Lee warned him to back out of the bars so that he could shift the pad lock open. Lee obeyed, not once breaking his attention from Gaara's ocean eyes. They were sunken black abyss's…

The cell began to contract into the wall, but before it was halfway sucked up, Lee squeezed through an opening big enough for him to fit, and threw his arms out to Gaara. Instead of a hug, fingers gripped at Lee's shoulders and shoved them away. Lee's chest fell at the action. Gaara turned his head to face a scratched up wall, crossed.

What was wrong?

"Gaara…let me hold yo-"

"Lee."

"…?"

"I'm tired. Let me rest for a while."

"But-"

Gaara gave Lee a dark look, shutting Lee off abruptly, and proceeded to make his way to his own bunk. The squeak of the mattress finalized Gaara's retirement. He was going to _sleep_ away the day? Just _sleep_? He knew Gaara had it hard for the last three days, but…didn't he want to talk about it? Didn't he want to hear what Lee had to say? Didn't he want to know that his life was in danger? Did he even know that his father wanted him _dead_? Lee was impassioned with confused rage. This was why he couldn't be Gaara's slave. Gaara wasn't providing him with any substance, no lingering connection other than loneliness. Was Gaara tired of him now? Did he want some other kid?

His fingers slipped into his chest pocket…

The knife. If he could just explain the situation at hand, then Gaara would be more than awake, they'd plan a way to survive Deidara's hands and his father's threats. Lee was glad Gaara was facing away from him when he pulled out the short blade. He tapped Gaara's shoulder. Nothing. He tapped Gaara again, but received no response. Finally, he shoved Gaara's arm hard, knocking it away from his side. An angry grunt followed the action. The redhead whipped his head around, but quickly brought his face into his hands, as if he was undergoing a really bad migraine. Lee wanted nothing more than to take away Gaara's aliments of burn and dizziness, but he needed to talk to him first. Before Lee could manage his first syllable, Gaara's eyes found the blade in Lee's nervous grip, and winced. The words in Lee's throat were trapped behind a killer grip of tough fingers. Ruby curls befell Gaara's face, his eyes wild with malicious intent. The moods shifting among those ocean eyes were quick and choppy, complex and crossed… Lee tried to mouth an explanation, but the only thing that escaped him was a strangled gag.

Gaara was choking him.

"You trying to kill me?" nails pressed themselves into the sides of Lee's neck, the palm shoving his adam's apple inward… Tears were streaming down Lee's cheeks, he couldn't breathe. His face was glowing blue. He couldn't believe his predicament.

He managed to shake his head dizzily. Lee caught himself before his eyes threatened to roll back into their sockets from lack of blood flow.

With that, the grip on his neck was no more. Lee would have dropped to his knees if it weren't for Gaara's palm supporting his chest. He swallowed great masses of air, choking on the sweetness of it. Gaara tried to kill him. Gaara just tried to _kill _him!

"Where'd you get the knife." Gaara's tone was sharp and impatient. Lee knew that if he said the wrong thing, the redhead was going to choke him up against the wall again. He forced himself to talk with a scratchy voice, "Your father…gave it…to me." Lee coughed up some spit that nestled in his throat when he was being suffocated. He hated this…what was happening?

Gaara was silent for a long time. His eyes were estranged and indifferent. He was contemplating theories. "Did he give you a choice?" The question was hollow but concentrated, and Lee knew that no matter what he said, Gaara would give him no mercy. Lee hesitated in answering, "He said-"

"Yes or no, Lee." Gaara was glaring at him now. Lee couldn't help but quiver, his voice was cracking, and he really wanted Gaara to stop making him answer these questions…he could feel the corners of his eyes beginning to sting.

"Yes…"Lee's voice trembled, and his eyes shook. "Gaara-"

The redhead turned his face away from Lee, sickened. Lee reached out for Gaara, trying desperately to explain, but Gaara's quick glare silenced him. Gaara's face was a knife, and was thrown into Lee's chest. Lee felt the stab and clutched at his heart, his lip crumbling.

"Lee…"Gaara held the knife up to his eyes, examining the sleek steel apathetically. His voice was low…so low that it could have reached the core of the Earth and the plates would have shook from fear alone. His eyes diluted into a fine midnight blue…

"The deal is off." The redhead stuck the knife in his big leg pocket and gave a defeated sigh. "Find someone else to take care of you." Gaara turned away from Lee and returned to his own bunk. The squeak finalized everything. It was all over…

The reality of things grabbed Lee and shook him. It was like receiving a hug from an earthquake, or being spun by a tornado…

Lee broke. He shook with bitter sobs. Lee would have preferred if Gaara had killed him than to have been shot down so cruelly. Gaara hated him… Lee hated himself for being hated. It _wasn't _his fault. None of this was his fault, yet here he was drowning under all the blame. He was a murderer and now he was a backstabber.

That night he didn't sleep a wink. The clicking of the small switch blade kept him up until morning.

~o0o~

Deidara settled into his own cell, and apparently, had a roommate.

Another teenager like himself.

He gave the boy a friendly smile and waved, "Hey." The boy on the other bed glared at Deidara. But the glare died quickly. He dropped his head and balled his fists on his lap. Tears began to spot the filthy tile flooring beneath him. Deidara sat up abruptly at the boy's distress. As soon as Deidara took one step toward him, the boy whipped his face back up, loose black locks fluttered about his cheeks and forehead. He was vexed and crossed. He glowered at Deidara, freezing him still.

"Touch me and I'll kill you."The boy's voice was a low hiss, but Deidara laughed at his violent demeanor.

"Don't worry kid, I won't." Deidara fell back into his bunk crookedly, his smile widening.

Deidara loved to mess with people. Deidara could get anyone to do as he wanted. Like a puppet, he tweaked their emotions. He could raise their brows and lips, let their arms dangle and legs sprawl open. Yes. He knew exactly what to say to get his way. And right now, he wanted to break this little boy. And he knew just the words to make it happen.

"Isn't it sad how they replace cellmates? It's tragic, I know. From what I heard, your buddy was a real bad ass." Deidara smacked his lips noisily, as if disappointed, "Sucks that he's been in The Hole. I mean, right when they release him, he'll be given his final sentence."

The boy twitched violently. This reaction pleased Deidara. He let out the words he knew would send the kid over the edge.

"Say, when's his execution?"

A pause.

After a time, the boy let his forehead drop and let it rest upon his knees. Bringing his arms up around his body like a steel fence, he shook with anguish. Low wails bounced around their cell walls. It was music to Deidara's ears. He himself has cried the very same tune, but that was nearly seven years ago… He clenched his fist and brought his brows down in angered focus.

He'd avenge Sasori soon enough.

He cuddled into his sheets. There was nothing wrong in claiming the bed as his own now. That Zabuza guy was going to be out of the picture tomorrow night. With one less problem to worry about, he could commence his plan as early as daybreak. First though, he'd have to gain Haku's trust. How he planned to do that, well, he'd figure something out when he was released into The Yard tomorrow. Before he slipped into sleep, he pulled out a ruby ring from his chest pocket and kissed it sweetly. He slipped the token back into his jumper and let Haku's sobs lull him to sleep.

He had a big day ahead of him.

**Author Note: This chapter came out to be really hardcore o.o. Sorry about the mean Gaara, the depressed Lee, the…weird Deidara ^^;. Oh well, chapter 9 is finished! *Whoot* Let me know what you think!**


	10. Reaped: Month 2 Week 1

_~REAPED~_

**[][][]**

**Something didn't seem to fit.**

It had been a week's time since the Warden gave him the knife—yet-no one else at the prison seemed to notice how susceptible Lee was to harassment. Or rather, no one thought to harass him.

In all, it seemed that Gaara and himself were the only ones to know that their 'deal' was off, and for that, Lee was glad. With no announcement of Gaara discarding him, Lee could still milk his 'deal' situation. He wasn't certain for how long, but it didn't matter. Taking advantage of it while everyone was oblivious was the key—but he didn't know how to use the key to his advantage.

_I'm just me. I'm just Lee._

When had he ever been the type to be physically aggressive? And in a hostile place no less? Lee + Aggression + Hostile Place = Certain Death or Worst.

But.

Haku could carry his own weight. So why couldn't he?

_Gaara isn't protecting me. I have to protect myself. _

With that thought, he felt himself fall even further into a pit of black frustration, confusion, and depression. And the most agitating thing was that, out of all his feelings, fatigue seemed to get at him the most.

Lee dozed in the weight room—in his cell—in the Yard. Everywhere was his bed, and everywhere was his pillow. Gaara wouldn't look or talk to him, and he hadn't seen Haku in four days. He was out of touch with reality and he really didn't care.

But then—

The lights—buzzing and blinking—were off and on in the Weight Room for a good minute before the electricity stabilized. The News Broadcast was back on the big screen, the treadmills were cycling, and the music buzzed again. Lee, for a moment, broke his passive expression with panic in his eyes, but then he stabilized just as the electricity had.

* * *

**Released into the Yard** on schedule, Lee was bumped around in the crowd of inmates as they passed him by and into the sandy lot. Pausing briefly, he stared off at the piercing sky and its sun on the horizon. Passive. Bored. Fatigued.

He then looked at the bleachers and saw what he didn't think was real.

Haku.

All by his lonesome on the metal steps was just sitting—calculating. He was chewing down a thumbnail to the quick. His deep eyes were bulged and his brow was crouched.

Without even feeling the sand whip around his jumper or the tension in the bleachers as he climbed them, Lee found himself looming over Haku's figure with wide eyes.

Looking up with wild eyes, Haku gasped softly. After staring at Lee minutely, Haku said quietly, "Sit down."

Minutes passed with them sitting thigh to thigh, yet despite all the grunts of inmates around them, the air between them seemed awkwardly still. The only sound was Haku's dwindling thumbnail and the whipping sand. Even though Lee wasn't comfortable with the silence, he wasn't trying to break it either. He just didn't have anything to say. No progress with Gaara and no progress with reputation.

"Do you believe..." came Haku's hollow voice, "That bad people do good things?"

The boy's eyes drooped as he stared at his thighs—passive. Lee knew the question wasn't for him to answer, so he sat in responsive silence.

"He was a hired gun, Zabuza I mean." He closed away his deep eyes, "I wasn't up to anything myself. Had run away from home. Was starving on the street. Then Zabuza passed me by-looked at me-and I looked at him."

Tilting his head the slightest bit, his eyes opened to sleepy slits.

"Just the way he was standing told me he was dangerous—a killer even—but I didn't care. Who would care if I was gone? My parents didn't come looking for me. Even neighbors who recognized me on the streets looked away. I was nothing—and yet—so was he. But Zabuza was dangerous and reckless. People looked at him and thought, 'What's his story?' And then he walked up to me, yanked me up by my cotton shirt," Haku made a fist and threw it up quickly to emphasis, "and said, 'You picked that man's pocket…the one that just passed you by. I saw it.'"

"Of course I was scared," Haku shook his head and smiled grimly, "So I tried giving him the wallet, but he didn't want it. He wanted me instead. Said I could be his tool. To steal money and inventory—and eventually he let me lure in his 'hits'."

Haku closed his eyes and gave out a short laugh.

Slowly he opened his eyes back up to the sun…then they became sleepy slits. Then they drooped down—looking at his thighs again.

"Even though I was nothing, and he was nothing, we had each other."

Haku shook his head slowly.

"Now…I'm not saying Zabuza is a good man. He really isn't. Zabuza is a gun for hire—a 'bad person'. But he does good things. _Thing_."

Pressing a finger into his chest, Haku smiled. It was the saddest smile Lee had ever seen…and he'd worn a few for the past month he'd been locked up.

"I'm Zabuza's one and only good thing."

* * *

**Today was a Sunday**, so inmates were allowed extra free time, and if they wanted, they could go back to their cell and sleep. Not Lee though. He wanted to be anywhere but his cell, so he had walked to the weight room when he was released back into Suna—Haku in tow.

The boy had shared many things with him in the Yard. How he and Zabuza met. How he and Zabuza were one. And although it showed that Haku was trusting him with something private…

Lee was jealous.

Zabuza? A _killer_ who was—by what Haku had shared—merciful? Zabuza did a good thing and had Haku as his martyr? And they both knew everything about the other—and Haku never had to ask questions to Zabuza. He had studied Zabuza as Zabuza had studied him. There were no questions to be asked.

Yet

Gaara had been his cellmate and protector for a month already, but no matter how much Lee studied the redhead, he had learned nothing. Nothing other than the fact that Gaara was lonely and suspicious of everything and everyone. Probably because of his father. Probably because he only knew prison. And Lee knew that much because he was told so secondhand.

He knew nothing from Gaara's own words because the boy hadn't said anything on his own behalf—and as much as Lee wanted to like Gaara—the boy never trusted him to begin with. Lee was just a toy—had always been a toy.

Glancing back at a blank Haku, he inwardly grunted.

Gaara wasn't talking to him. And probably wouldn't be for the rest of his stay.

But

He had to know. He had to know _more. _More about Gaara.

He wanted to know Gaara the way Haku knew Zabuza.

"Lee…aren't you going to sit down?" Haku asked, pointing to the space on his work bench.

Hesitantly, Lee did so. Once he was seated, he glanced about the exercise area and noticed other eyes shift away from him. They had been watching him…

"Haku?" Lee whispered, "When Zabuza isn't around…do you use his name in defense?"

To that, Haku's lips tightened, "Only when I don't want to fight."

"So his name works as a shield?"

Slowly, Haku narrowed his eyes to beads and stared at Lee for one very suspicious second.

"…What are you going to do."

Lee swallowed as he stood up with no backbone.

"Something reckless."

Taking shallow steps, he approached a bigger inmate who was probably in his mid-thirties. He was deeply tanned, had a scar running down his left eye, and a dragon tattoo peeking out from under an orange sleeve.

The man put his hand of cards down and glared at Lee sharply. It took every ounce of Lee's courage not to flinch and back away.

"You got's a starin' problem? The fuck you want."

"Information." Came Lee's shaky reply

The man looked at his equally gruff friend, and then back at Lee. A smile broke across his face and then a fat boisterous laugh escaped him.

"I don't even know you kid!" As his laugh died, he added, "But if you wantto get to know me…"

Fingers reached out teasingly toward Lee's thigh—and in his peripheral vision—he saw that Haku had stood up sharply.

And then—out of his mouth—Lee heard himself say something curt and final. Just a breath away from Lee, the man's fingers paused in their pursuit. He scrunched his nose up at Lee.

"…What'd you say to me?"

"I said," Lee repeated, narrowing his eyes, "Touch me and die."

Jerked up by his collar roughly, Lee's jumper was rumpled in the man's fist. On his tip toes, Lee kept his face still even though his mind was in hysterics. Whipping a fist back, the man grunted before swinging it-

" Gaara is my cellmate."—and then the inmate paused. Paused in mid-swing.

"…You're lying out your-"

"And his father's the warden."

The man blinked hard. He looked back at his friend, who looked equally as confused and pissed off.

"You hit me—not only is Gaara going to get you—but the warden will have you locked up for all your days."

With a reluctant glare, and a limp grip…he let Lee's jumper collar go. Sucking in a quick breath, Lee said, "We're not done yet. I need information—remember?"

The man glared fire at him and snapped, "I got nuthin' to say. Fuck off, why don't you." Turning his back on Lee, he sat himself down at his card table, picking up a straight flush as he did so.

"We're not," Lee repeated loudly, "done yet."

Jumping up, the table had flipped over, and the man was standing chest to chest with Lee—angry.

"You can't hear? I said I got nuthin' to say."

"Answer my questions and I'll go."

Staggering a second, the man shut his eyes tightly, and then grunted, "I ain't got all day."

* * *

**Gaara didn't look** at him as he walked into the cell, the gate grinding closed at his back.

After the cell had shut them both in, there was a thick silence.

Lee stood standing, watching his redheaded cellmate carve into the bedside wall with rubble that had fallen from the ceiling. And then—

"You started off in Suna Juvenile at age ten. Then you were transferred here at age seventeen."

To that, Gaara paused in his carving. Those ocean eyes shut momentarily before opening up to slits—glaring. Lee didn't cower under the cold expression—he was too consumed in the information he had received to feel shaken. He only had sympathy for the boy.

"You're here under suspicion for the homicide of your cousin, Sasori."

That.

That got to Gaara ultimately. The redhead stood up, his posture slouched and his face heavy—he looked like he always did. But Lee knew for a fact that the redhead was boiling. His ocean eyes were fierce with a storm of deep blues...

"My life," Gaara snapped, "isn't your business."

"It is when it interferes with mine."

Gaara took a threatening step forward; his teeth barred for a split second—but then subsided under a deep frown.

"Interferes…?" Gaara smirked—then snorted, "You enticed me into a deal. Then you took my dad's offer to kill me. And you say I'm interfering with your life?" Then—angrily—he hissed, "Hypocrites don't get the time of day from me."

Without skipping a beat, Lee shot back, "I had no choice. If I said no, your dad would have asked someone else-someone who wouldn't have hesitated to kill you for a few months off their sentence!" Lee clenched his fist—but kept his voice stern.

No more. No way was he taking anymore shit. He was too tired…

"We can be a team—no deal necessary."

Gaara stared at Lee. Like. Really stared—as if he'd never seen the boy before. A chuckle, then a sharp, snarky laugh. He was _laughing_. Laughing at Lee.

"Seven years." Running a hand through his wine-red curls, he chuckled, "Seven years alone…and you want to preach about teamwork?" A barking laugh escaped the redhead, "That's Bullshit…"

Lee shut his eyes tightly, and for a moment, felt a blackness well up from within. It had been sitting dormant inside of him for so long…even before the time he'd been sent to Suna Maximum. It had been buried so deep—he didn't think it'd ever surface—not on his features—not ever. But there it was, in his throat—just _sitting_. Waiting. Lee swallowed. Then swallowed again.

No.

That anger—that bitter anger wasn't going to get him. Not today.

"What do you want me to do, Gaara?"

To this, Gaara's laughter had settled into choppy chuckles. Lee knew he had Gaara's attention then.

Clenching his fists, Lee pressed on, "What do you want me to do…to prove that I can protect you too?"

"Protect?" Gaara's eyes widened slightly at that—ocean green dilated just a bit.

"You can't even protect yourself. Having you fight my battles-that'd be like air protecting me from bullets."

There it was—so _quick_. He hadn't even known until he noticed Gaara holding onto a cheek—blood on his lower lip—it was split. Lee blinked rapidly and held his own fist against his chest. He had just punched Gaara across the face. And—it felt _good_.

In his stupor, four hard knuckles pressed into Lee's chin—he felt it click from the force.

Ah.

Fighting—Lee and Gaara were really fighting. A knee to the gut, a fist to the head, an elbow to the chest. Brawling.

…

…

He felt his back hit the cement floor of their cell. Lee couldn't get up…he didn't have the strength—it had all gone into his last kick to Gaara's shoulder. Gaara was slumped against the bedside wall between his cot and the toilet. The both of them were panting heavily.

"Proved. Fight. Can." Lee huffed out—still on his back.

For a minute there wasn't a response from Gaara. And then…half an hour. Then an hour…

During the entire waiting, Lee hadn't moved from his position on the floor. Not an inch—not to fix his clothes or to wipe his mouth of dried blood. He was afraid of what Gaara would say—if he would say anything at all. Did he hate him? Did he believe him? Would he confide in him?

"…"

"…Gaara?"

"Fuck you."

"Gaar-"

"Fuck. You."

From the corner, Gaara crawled over from the wall to Lee on the floor. He took shaky hands and pressed them around Lee's neck.

"You don't know me…"

Lee put trembling finger around Gaara's wrists, but they were limp. Removing Gaara's hands wasn't his intention…he just wanted to touch him.

"Then tell me who you are."

"…No."

The hands around Lee's throat loosened, but not enough to let him break away.

"…Anything will do. Just tell me one thing."

"I can't."

Lee paused a minute to consider Gaara's decision. It was unfair…mentally he cursed. What the hell was he doing? Ah. He was having another epiphany.

"…It's personal, I get it. If you can't say, then fine. Get off me."

"…No." Gaara pressed his lips against Lee's forcefully—all teeth. When Lee tried to struggle, the hands around his throat began to constrict. Breaking the kiss, Gaara glared down at Lee and whispered, "No more asking around—and no more talking."

The next kiss met Lee's cheek, for Lee had swiftly flipped onto his side. Taken back, Lee spat, "Get off me! I'm not your slave anymore—or couldn't you tell!"

Gaara ignored the comment and took a hand away from Lee's throat and pressed it across his stomach. Lee let out an angry grunt, "Stop…! I don't want to hate you, Gaara. So, stop!" A hand forced Lee's shoulder down, pinning him on his back again. Glaring up into Gaara's face—

Ocean green was deep and glassy…the frown a dark line…and the curls hanging still…

Never had Lee seen such a lonely expression. The same blackness that had been in his throat was now in Gaara's face.

It was a cold and bitter black—one that would drown everything it saw.

"I'd rather you hated me, Lee, because no one can forgive me."

"…Not even your mother?"

"She's dead."

Gaara nipped at Lee's neck—pulling down the boy's jumper collar over a tan shoulder.

"…Not even your siblings?"

"They resent me."

A hand jutted into the jumper's opening and roughly caressed a nipple. Lee shut his eyes away from the abuse Gaara was doing to his body for a brief moment before saying, "I can forgive you for this…even though it hurts…even though I hate it…because you need me."

Nippy bites and rough touches froze.

"I know you want to tell me something…but can't." Lee cupped Gaara's bruised cheeks in warm fingers. With a frown, he whispered a soft, "You're not allowed to, right? I get that much…so you don't need to force me into needing you with fear." Pressing a gentle kiss upon Gaara's split lips, he mapped his fingers down the boy's chin…neck…and collar bones. The blackness in Gaara's face was lifting…his eyes didn't look as toneless.

"Why do you want to help me?" Gaara murmured—not as confident as he had appeared moments before.

"…I think we're the same. If I save you—I can save myself…? I don't know."

There was a moment of silence. And then Gaara rolled off of Lee and lay by him-ear to ear.

"…"

"…"

"How does a team work?"

Lee sighed—still not even sure if what was happening was real, but he answered, "I guess we make a plan."

"Against who?"

"…Your dad for one. And…" Lee paused a moment before tilting his head to the side to catch Gaara staring at him. He opened his mouth, and then closed it abruptly. Closing his eyes to Gaara, he whispered, "We get rid of someone named, Deidara."

* * *

**AN: Yeah. I know. It's been a long while-truth be told, I never really knew how to get from a to b with this plotline-but I do know how I want it to end so :[ (sorry about that)-anyway~~I really don't know how this chapter reads: it made sense in my head-but if it's confusing...well...my bad! It's been awhile guys. Really sorry~~**

**And thanks to Darkness33 for the cover art!**


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